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WRESTLING: No clowning around for Bozo Starcevic, as he wins fifth Zagreb Open title

By
Rich Perelman
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Daniel Aleksandrov (BUL) takes a bow after coming from 0-7 down to beat Turkey's Emrah Kus, 8-7, in the Zagreb Open (Photo: UWW)

Competing in front of home fans is always a treat and Croatia’s Bozo Starcevic was the hero of the annual Zagreb Open tournament in Greco-Roman wrestling, one of the United World Wrestling’s designated ranking tournaments.

Starcevic had won four Zagreb Open titles in a row, but in his 77 kg class, he had to overcome 2012 Olympic 66 kg champ and 2013 74 winner Hyeon-Woo Kim of Korea in the quarterfinals. Starcevic dominated the match, winning 8-2 and moving on to defeat Russia’s Rafael Iunusov, 501, to reach the final against Turkey’s Yunus Basar. A tight, tactical match resulted in a 2-1 victory for Starcevic as Basar was penalized in the second period for passivity.

It was Starcevic’s fifth straight win in his home tournament.

Perhaps most remarkable match of the entire program came in the final of the 82 kg class, as Turkey’s 2018 World Championships silver medalist, Emrah Kus, took a 7-0 lead after the first period. But Bulgaria’s Daniel Aleksandov was not deterred and routed Kus, 8-0, in the second period to steal the match and the title, 8-7!

The U.S. claimed two medals, the first from Xavier Johnson in the 63 kg class, where he lost to Uzbek Islomjon Bakhramov, 10-2 in the final. Veteran G’Angelo Hancock won a bronze medal in the 97 kg class.

Turkey won the team title with 132 points, with one win and three silver medals, ahead of Uzbekistan (101) and Croatia (91). The U.S. was eighth with 51 points. Summaries:

UWW Greco-Roman Ranking Tournament/Zagreb Open
Zagreb (CRO) ~ 8-10 February 2019
(Full results here)

55 kg: 1. Poya Soulat Dad Marz (IRI); 2. Ekrem Ozturk (TUR); 3. Alexandru Vasile Botez (ROU) and Dogus Ayazci (TUR). (Round-robin; no medal matches)

60 kg: 1. Kerem Kamal (TUR); 2. Milad Ali Rezanezhad (IRI); 3. Erik Torba (HUN) and Ivan Lizatovic (CRO). Third: Torba d. Virguil Munteanu (ROU), 3-3 (criteria); Lizatovic d. Seunghak Kim (KOR), 4-3. Final: Kamal d. Rezanezhad, 9-3.

63 kg: 1. Islomjon Bakhramov (UZB); 2. Xavier Johnson (USA); 3. Dawid Ersetic (POL) and Firuz Tukhtaev (UZB). Third: Ersetic d. Irakli Dzimistarishvili (GEO), by tech. fall (12-0); Tukhtaev d. Travis Rice (USA) , 9-0. Final: Bakhramov d. Johnson, 10-2.

67 kg: 1. Elmurat Tasmuradov (UZB); 2. Mihai Radu Mihut (ROU); 3. Enes Basar (TUR) and Ignazio Sanfilippo (ITA). Third: Basar d. Morten Thoresen (NOR), 9-0; Sanfilippo d. Danijel Janecic (CRO) , 4-0. Final: Tasmuradov d. Mihut, 4-1.

72 kg: 1. Robert Fritsch (HUN); 2. Ramaz Zoidze (GEO); 3. Aik Mnatsakanian (BUL) and Mateusz Bernatek (POL). Third: Mnatsakanian d. Cengiz Arslan (TUR), 3-1; Bernatek d. Mate Nemes (SRB), 3-1. Final: Fritsch d. Zoidze, 0-0 (criteria).

77 kg: 1. Bozo Starcevic (CRO); 2. Yunus Emre Basar (TUR); 3. Mohammad Aziz Naghousi (IRI) and Hyeon-Woo Kim (KOR) Third: Naghousi d. Ilie Cojocari (ROU), 5-4; Kim d. Rafael Iunusov (RUS), tech. fall (10-0). Final: Starcevic d. Basar, 2-1.

82 kg: 1. Daniel Aleksandrov (BUL); 2. Emrah Kus (TUR); 3. Burhan Akbudak (TUR) and Karlo Kodric (CRO). Third: Akbydak d. Jalgasbay Berdimuratov (UZB), 2-1; Kodric d. Aivengo Rikadze (GEO), 0-0 (criteria). Final: Aleksandrov d. Kus, 8-7.

87 kg: 1. Viktor Lorincz (HUN); 2. Kristoffer Berg (SWE); 3. Tadeusz Michalik (POL) and Arkadiusz Kulynycz (POL). Third: Michalik d. Yoan Dimitrov (BUL), 6-3; Kulynycz d. Erik Szilvassy (HUN), 4-3. Final: Lorincz d. Berg, 3-1.

97 kg: 1. Ilia Borisov (RUS); 2. Kiril Milov (BUL); 3. Jahongir Turdiev (UZB) and G’Angelo Hancock (USA). Third: Turdiev d. Zsolt Toeroek (HUN), tech. fall (11-0); Hancock d. Adam Varga (HUN), 4-1. Final: Borisov d. Milov, 9-0.

130 kg: 1. Oskar Marvik (NOR); 2. Muminjon Abdullaev (UZB); 3. Yasmani Acosta (CHI) and Miloslav Metrodiev (BUL). Third: Acosta d. Osman Yildirim (TUR), 5-1; Metodiev d. Marko Koscevic (CRO) , 5-1. Final: Marvik d. Abdullaev, 1-0.

ALPINE SKIING: Pinturault takes Combined for first individual World title

By
Rich Perelman
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France's World Champion Alexis Pinturault

The Alpine Combined – the Downhill and Slalom – is an almost-extinct event, rarely contested on the World Cup circuit and in danger of being axed from the Olympic program. But if there is an athlete who could identified with the event, it would be France’s Alexis Pinturault.

He’s won two seasonal World Cup in the event, in 2016 and 2017 and earned an Olympic silver last year in PyeongChang. Now he can say he’s the World Champion after winning Monday’s competition in Are (SWE).

As usual, the Downhillers were swamped when they came to Slalom. The top Downhill skier, Italy’s Dominik Paris, finished 26th in the Slalom and ended up ninth overall.

Pinturault, 24th after the Downhill, had the second-fastest Slalom time and won by 0.24 seconds over Slovenia’s Stefan Hadalin, who had the fastest Slalom time, but was 30th in the Downhill. Third went to Austria’s Marco Schwarz; both he and Hadalin win their first World Championships medals.

Pinturault won his third Worlds medal; he won a gold in 2017 in the Team Event and a bronze in 2015 in the Giant Slalom.

The Worlds continue with the hokey Mixed Team event on Tuesday. Look for results here. Summaries:

FIS Alpine World Championships
Are (SWE) ~ 5-17 February 2019
(Full results here)

Men

Downhill: 1. Kjetil Jansrud (NOR), 1:19.98; 2. Aksel Lund Svindal (NOR), 1:20.00; 3. Vincent Kriechmayr (AUT), 1:20.31; 4. Beat Feuz (SUI), 1:20.42; 5. Matthias Mayer (AUT), 1:20.63; 6. Dominik Paris (ITA), 1:20.72; 7. Benjamin Thomsen (CAN), 1:20.73; 8. Aleksander Aamodt Kilde (NOR), 1:20.80. Also: 9 (tie). Bryce Bennett (USA), 1:20.81; … 12. Ryan Cochran-Siegle (USA), 1:21.00; … 23. Steven Nyman (USA), 1:21.55; … 26. Travis Ganong (USA), 1:21.63.

Super-G: 1. Paris (ITA), 1:24.20; 2. tie, Johan Clarey (FRA) and Kriechmayr (AUT), 1:24.29; 4. Christof Innerhofer (ITA), 1:24.55; 5. Adrien Theaux (FRA), 1:24.57; 6. Josef Ferstl (GER), 1:24.59; 7. Brice Roger (FRA), 1:24.61; 8. tie, Mattia Casse (ITA), Nyman (USA) and Adrian Sejersted (NOR), 1:24.70. Also in the top 25: 11. Cochran-Siegle (USA), 1:24.73; … 23. Bennett (USA), 1:25.82.

Combined: 1. Alexis Pinturault (FRA), 1:47.71 (24th in Downhill + 2nd in Slalom); 2. Stefan Hadalin (SLO), 1:47.95 (30+1); 3. Marco Schwarz (AUT), 1:48.17 (21+4); 4. Riccardo Tonetti (ITA), 1:48.38 (16+6); 5. Linus Strasser (GER), 1:48.51 (29+3); 6. Victor Muffat-Jeandet (FRA), 1:48.52 (23+5); 7. Mauro Caviezel (SUI), 1:48.57 (8+8); 8. Luca Aerni (SUI), 1:48.73 (20+7). Also: 11. Bennett (USA), 1:49.59 (18+13);’ … 18. Cochran-Siegle (USA), 1:49.84 (2+36).

Women

Downhill: 1. Ilka Stuhec (SLO), 1:01.74; 2. Corinne Suter (SUI), 1:01.97; 3. Lindsey Vonn (USA), 1:02.23; 4. Stephanie Venier (AUT), 1:02.27; 5. Ragnhild Mowinckel (NOR), 1:02.33; 6. Nicol Delago (ITA), 1:02.36; 7. Ramona Siebenhofer (AUT), 1:02.38; 8. Lara Gut-Behrami (SUI), 1:02.52. Also: 22. Alice Merryweather (USA), 1:03.26.

Super-G: 1. Mikaela Shiffrin (USA), 1:04.89; 2. Sofia Goggia (ITA), 1:04.91; 3. Corinne Suter (SUI), 1:04.94; 4. Viktor Rebensburg (GER), 1:04.96; 5. Nadia Fanchini (ITA), 1:05.03; 6. Ragnhild Mowinckel (NOR), 1:05.05; 7. Francesca Marsaglia (ITA), 1:05.13; 8. Stuhec (SLO), 1:05.15; 9. Lara Gut-Behrami (SUI), 1:05.37; 10. Federica Brignone (ITA), 1:05.43. Also in the top 25: 22. Merryweather (USA), 1:07.22.

Combined: 1. Wendy Holdener (SUI), 2:02:13 (5th in Downhill + 3rd in Slalom); 2. Petra Vlhova (SVK), 2:02.16 (8+2); 3. Mowinckel (NOR), 2:02.58 (3+6); 4. Ramona Siebenhofer (AUT), 2:02.62 (1+8); 5. Roni Remme (CAN), 2:02.26 (28+1); 6. Brignone (ITA), 2:03.52 (6+10); 7. Kasja Vickhoff Lie (NOR), 2:03.64 (15+5); 8. Franziska Gritsch (AUT), 2:03.82 (29+4). Also: 18. Merryweather (USA), 2:06.63 (10+21).

SKI JUMPING: Takanashi ends Lundby’s win streak at six in Ljubno

By
Rich Perelman
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Japan's Sara Takanashi (Photo: FIS)

The conditions were much less than ideal, with so much wind that the qualifying round for the women’s jumpers in Ljubno (SLO) had to be canceled.

Then, after all 59 starters had completed the first round of jumps, the winds came up again and the competition was delayed again.

But after the final round did get completed, it was Japan’s Sara Takanashi who claimed her first World Cup win of the season and the 56th of her career, and ended Norwegian star Maren Lundby’s six-event winning streak.

Lundy won the first event on Saturday, with Takanashi second, but the tricky conditions on Sunday, Takanashi was best.

“I am so happy to finally win a World Cup competition this season,” she said. “It was a difficult and long day, but I tried to stay focused and concentrated on my technique. I would like to thank all the fans and our team for their support. I am really looking forward to the competition on the big hill in Obertsdorf next weekend.”

Lundby also won six in a row last season, but Takanashi knows a lot about winning, too. She won 10 meets in a row back in the 2015-16 season on the way to one of her five seasonal titles.

After 15 of 24 events, Lundby still has a big lead, with 1,168 points to 943 for Katharina Althaus (GER) and 806 for Takanashi.

In the men’s jumping at Lahti (FIN), Poland’s Kamil Stoch won his second straight World Cup to edge a little closer to seasonal leader Ryoyu Kobayashi. But he didn’t gain much, as Kobayashi was second, for his 14th medal in 20 competitions this season.

With eight events left, most of them off the giant ski-flying hills in Norway and Slovenia, Kobayashi leads Stoch by 1,460 to 1,029, with Stefan Kraft (AUT) third with 967. Summaries:

FIS Ski Jumping World Cup
Lahti (FIN) ~ 9-10 February 2019
(Full results here)

Men’s 130 m hill: 1. Kamil Stoch (POL), 280.9; 2. Ryoyu Kobayashi (JPN), 263.7; 3. Robert Johansson (NOR), 260.1; 4. Stefan Kraft (AUT), 257.1; 5. Halvor Egner Granerud (NOR), 255.7.

Men’s Team 130 m hill: 1. Austria (Aschenwald, Schlierenzauer, Hayboeck, Kraft), 953.6; 2. Germany, 942.6; 3. Japan, 929.5; 4. Poland, 925.7; 5. Slovenia, 877.3.

FIS Ski Jumping World Cup
Ljubno (SLO) ~ 9-10 February 2019
(Full results here)

Women’s 94 m hill I: 1. Maren Lundby (NOR), 268.9; 2. Sara Takanashi (JPN), 263.7; 3. Ursa Bogataj (SLO), 262.6; 4. Katharina Althaus (GER), 260.9; 5. Juliane Seyfarth (GER), 260.4.

Women’s 94 m hill II: 1. Takanashi (JPN), 233.9; 2. Lundby (NOR), 221.8; 3. Seyfarth (GER), 216.8; 4. Nika Kriznar (SLO), 215.9; 5. Lidiia Iakovleva (RUS), 203.5.

Women’s Team 94 m hill: 1. Germany (Vogt, Rupprecht, Seyfarth, Althaus), 1,001.3; 2. Slovenia, 975.9; 3. Austria, 936.9; 4. Japan, 934.3; 5. Russia, 914.6. Also: 10. United States (Logan Sankey, Tara Geraghty-Moats, Nina Lussi, Nita Englund), 362.1.

NORDIC COMBINED: Graabak wins by less than an inch in Lahti!

By
Rich Perelman
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Norway's Joergen Graabak

The seasonal king of the Nordic Combined has been established and Jarl Magnus Riiber took the weekend off in Lahti (FIN), but the race was one of the best of the season.

Norwegian teammate Joergen Graabak was fifth in the jumping and started 1:14 in back of leader Mario Seidl (AUT), but it was he and Japan’s Akito Watabe – last year’s World Cup champ – who dueled it out until the finish.

Graabak had the lead coming into the final lap, but Watabe was closing, and closing and closing. He got close enough for a photo finish, but Graabak was awarded the win as both shoved their skis towards the finish line.

With three races left in the season, Watabe’s finish propelled him into second place overall, with 774 points (Riiber has 1,254), ahead of Germany’s Johannes Rydzek (761) and Frank-Josef Rehrl (AUT: 755). Summaries:

FIS Nordic Combined World Cup
Lahti (FIN) ~ 9-10 February 2019
(Full results here)

Gundersen 130 m hill/10.0 km: 1. Joergen Graabak (NOR), 24:39.8; 2. Akito Watabe (JPN), 24:39.8; 3. Mario Seidl (AUT), 24:55.4; 4. Espen Bjoernstad (NOR), 25:12.1; 5. Magnus Krog (NOR), 25:14.8.

Team Sprint 130 m hill/2×7.5 km: 1. Ilkka Herola/Eero Hirvonen (FIN), 29:14.6; 2. Espen Bjoernstad/Joergen Grabaak (NOR), 29:14.8; 3. Wilhelm Denifl/Mario Seidl (AUT), 29:18.1; 4. Espen Andersen/Magnus Krog (NOR), 29:20.6; 5. Hideaki Nagai/Go Yamamoto (JPN), 29:45.0.

LUGE: Geisenberger and Eggert/Benecken clinch seasonal World Cup titles in Oberhof

By
Rich Perelman
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Olympic and World Luge Champion Natalie Geisenberger of Germany (Photo: Sandro Halank via Wikimedia Commons)

The penultimate FIL World Cup in the 2018-19 season decided the women’s and men’s Doubles champions, while the men’s Singles title will go right to the final races.

In the World Cup at Oberhof (GER), two familiar champions were confirmed: Germans Natalie Geisenberger for the women and Toni Eggert and Sascha Benecken in the Doubles. Geisenberger won her fifth race of the season and now has 882 points to clinch her sixth seasonal title in a row. Second is teammate Julia Taubitz (706) and Summer Britcher of the U.S. is still third – despite a sixth-place finish – with 556 points.

Eggert and Benecken finished second in Oberhof to teammates Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt, but now have 895 points to 712 for Austrians Thomas Steu and Lorenz Koller. Wendl and Arlt have 698 points and could move up in the final World Cup in Sochi (RUS) in two weeks. For Eggert and Benecken, it’s their third straight World Cup title.

The men’s title is totally up for grabs. Where Germany’s Felix Loch has won six of the last seven years, the 1-2 for Russians Semen Pavlichenko and Roman Repilov have thrown the seasonal race wide open. Going into Sochi:

● 1. 598 Johannes Ludwig (GER)
● 2. 588 Semen Pavlichenko (RUS)
● 3. 583 Felix Loch (GER)
● 4. 580 Reinhard Egger (AUT)
● 5. 548 Roman Repilov (RUS)

Any of them could win it, and Repilov was the 2016-17 champion, breaking a five-year hold that Loch had on the event. Summaries from Oberhof:

FIL Luge World Cup
Oberhof (GER) ~ 9-10 February 2019
(Full results here)

Men’s Singles: 1. Semen Pavlichenko (RUS), 1:26.203; 2. Roman Repilov (RUS), 1:26.247; 3. Kristers Aparjods (LAT), 1:26.384; 4. Reinhard Egger (AUT), 1:26.399; 5. Johannes Ludwig (GER), 1:26.445. Also: 14. Tucker West (USA), 1:26.872; … 27. Jonathan Gustafson (USA), 1:28.832.

Men’s Doubles: 1. Tobias Wendl/Tobias Arlt (GER), 1:21.951; 2. Toni Eggert/Sascha Benecken (GER), 1:22.151; 3. Andris Sics/Juris Sics (LAT), 1:22.274; 4. Thomas Steu/Lorenz Koller (AUT), 1:22.501; 5. Tristan Walker/Justin Snith (CAN), 1:22.673. Also: 10. Chris Mazdzer/Jayson Terdiman (USA), 1:22.874.

Women’s Singles: 1. Natalie Geisenberger (GER), 1:22.810; 2. Tajana Huefner (GER), 1:23.033; 3. Dajana Eitberger (GER), 1:23.127; 4. Andrea Voetter (ITA), 1:23.170; 5. Julia Taubitz (GER), 1:23.186. Also: 6. Summer Britcher (USA), 1:23.272.

Team Relay: 1. Italy (Voetter, D. Fischnaller, Nagler/Malleier), 2:22.827; 2. Germany, 2:22.943; 3. Latvia, 2:23.256; 4. Austria, 2:23.628; 5. Russia, 2:23.664. Also: 6. United States (Summer Britcher, Tucker West, Chris Mazdzer/Jayson Terdiman), 2:23.666.

JUDO: Five wins and 15 medals for Japan to dominate Paris Grand Slam

By
Rich Perelman
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France's World Champion Clarisse Agbegnenou

When the largest and most important tournaments come up in the IJF World Tour calendar, count on Japan to field most or all of its first team. And that means they will win the most classes and take the most medals.

That was the story of the Paris Grand Slam, with Japanese judoka winning two men’s classes and three in the women’s division. No other country had more than two. And Japan had finalists in four of the eight men’s classes and three of the eight women’s weights.

France (2-1-2) and Korea (2-0-3) each had five medals and popular French winners included reigning World Champion Clarisse Agbegnenou at -63 kg and Madeleine Malonga at -78 kg.

Of the multiple 2018 World Champions entered, only Naohisa Takato (JPN: 48 kg) and Agbegnenou managed to win in Paris. Summaries:

IJF World Tour/Paris Grand Slam
Paris (FRA) ~ 9-10 February 2019
(Full results here)

Men

-60 kg: 1. Naohisa Takato (JPN); 2. Yeldos Smetov (KAZ); 3. Temur Nozadze (GEO) and Amartuvshin Dashdavaa (MGL).

-66 kg: 1. Denis Vieru (MDA); 2. Vazha Margvelashvili (GEO); 3. Baruch Shmailov (ISR) and Georgil Zantaraia (UKR).

-73 kg: 1. Soichi Hashimoto (JPN); 2. Tsogtbaatar Tsend-Ochir (MGL); 3. Fabio Basile (ITA) and Lasha Shavdatuashvili (GEO).

-81 kg: 1. Dominic Ressel (GER); 2. Sagi Muki (ISR); 3. Saeid Mollaei (IRI) and Alan Khubetsov (RUS).

-90 kg: 1. Donghan Gwak (KOR); 2. Islam Bozbayev (KAZ); 3. Krisztian Toth (HUN) and Kenta Nagasawa (JPN).

-100 kg: 1. Varlam Liparteliani (GEO); 2. Aaron Wolf (JPN); 3. Guham Cho (KOR) and Petrr Paltchik (ISR).

+100 kg: 1. Sungmin Kim (KOR); 2. Hisayoshi Hirasawa (JPN); 3. Ushangi Kokauri (AZE) and Kokoro Kageura (JPN).

Women

-48 kg: 1. Ami Kondo (JPN); 2. Distria Krasniqi (KOS); 3. Melodie Vaugarny (FRA) and Otgonsetseg Galbadrakh (KAZ).

-52 kg: 1. Ai Shishime (JPN); 2. Natsumi Tsonoda (JPN); 3. Asteide Gneto (FRA) and Odette Giuffrida (ITA).

-57 kg: 1. Christia Deguchi (CAN); 2. Jessica Klimkait (CAN); 3. Momo Tamaoki (JPN) and Jisu Kim (KOR).

-63 kg: 1. Clarisse Agbegnenou (FRA); 2. Tina Trstenjak (SLO); 3. Andreja Leski (SLO) and Catherine Beauchemin-Pinard (CAN).

-70 kg: 1. Yoko Ono (JPN); 2. Margaux Pinot (FRA); 3. Saki Niizoe (JPN) and Barbara Timo (POR).

-78 kg: 1. Madeleine Malonga (FRA); 2. Luise Malzahn (GER); 3. Mami Umeki (JPN) and Chen Fei (CHN).

+78 kg: 1. Idalys Ortiz (CUB); 2. Iryna Kindzerska (AZE); 3. Minjeong Kim (KOR) and Akira Sone (JPN).

LANE ONE: Could Kasper’s outburst lead to a reduction in the size of the Winter Games?

By
Rich Perelman
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FIS President Gian-Franco Kasper (SUI) (Photo: FIS)

In case you missed it, there was a huge explosion inside the Olympic Movement last week after an interview with Federation Internationale de Ski President Gian-Franco Kasper appeared in the Swiss daily Tages Anzeiger.

Kasper, a Swiss now 75, has been with the FIS since 1975. He was Secretary-General from 1975-98 and then became its President in 1998 and remained in office ever since. Sports Editor Rene Hauri asked a wide range of questions as the World Alpine Championships began in Sweden, and Kasper had some ready answers.

The article was headlined – according to a computerized translation from the original German – “In dictatorships it is easier for us.” And there were highlights that made headlines, including:

● Asked who is still interested in ski racing, he replied, “Especially people over 40. It is interesting that this age remains the same for years, contrary to all claims.”

● Hauri stated that the FIS and skiing are the same as they were 50 years ago, and wouldn’t a more aggressive marketing push make more money? Kasper’s answer: “We do not care about making as much money as possible. Marketing to generate money for sports? At any time! But to generate money from sports, we do not do that. We are first and foremost advertising agency for winter tourism.”

That’s a comment worth noting and a worth considering from the point of view of all international sports.

● Hauri asked a series of questions about environmentalism and the impact of skiing, which Kasper rejected, making a series of comments about climate change which were immediately jumped on in coverage of the interview, but which Kasper says were misinterpreted.

Some of the follow-up questions were about the environmental impact of skiing venues in PyeongChang in 2018 and in Beijing for 2022. About last year’s Games, which included a controversial alpine course carved out of a nature reserve, Kasper spoke truth: “The Olympic Committee has awarded the games to South Korea. For us it would have been no problem to make the [event] in Japan. Only I understand the Koreans, who ask why not they too should have the right to tourist ski slopes.”

And about Beijing, he noted that “Everything is already there. This is not a problem.” Pressed by Hauri if he approved of having Winter Games in China, he answered “No, but if these countries do something for skiing and the mountain people there, I do not mind” and added – as a former member of the International Olympic Committee, now retired by the age limit – “I can understand that there are people who say that we need to harness the potential of China. What is being built in China is pure madness. Only in Switzerland, that was also done, only it took us 150 years. If the countries make it in five years, of course, it will be noticeable. The 51 billion euros invested in the games of Sochi are crazy. But that was not cheaper with us.”

● Asked if the Winter Games is still relevant, he opined, “The gigantism is huge. That’s why we no longer find any candidates, it’s too expensive, too big – was this all needed? There are too many sports, it all costs a fortune.”

Pressed on whether the Olympics is even a good idea, Kasper was clear: “The interest in sports is increasing, Olympia provides for entertainment. The joy and sadness, the patriotism – it makes the Games unique.”

● The headline came from Kasper’s answer to Hauri’s questions about European cities rejecting Winter Games bids. Kasper noted that countries with dictatorships can bid more easily than democracies, and “It’s just that it’s easier for us in dictatorships. From the business side, I say: I just want to go to dictatorships, I do not want to argue with environmentalists.”

He added that his willingness to do events in such countries is not unlimited. “Not everything that is reported is true. Sport can also be a door opener, maybe we made a contribution to the opening of North Korea in Pyeongchang with the united team Korea. But, I do not want to go to a country, invest in skiing there, while the population starves, I draw the red line. If Qatar announces tomorrow for the Olympics, then I am against.”

Well, Kasper made quite a stir, and in his welcome message for the Worlds in Alpine, Freestyle, Snowboard and Nordic events, he included “Recently, a report surfaced in the Swiss media with several controversial comments attributed to me. First and foremost, I would like to apologise as these comments were not meant to be taken literally but this was not clear in the final story. I take full responsibility for this misunderstanding and am sorry it has taken attention away from our athletes competing in the FIS World Championships.”

But the interesting aspect was not the interview, but the aftermath.

The International Olympic Committee’s view was the most important. In a comment sent to the Around the Rings Web site, IOC spokesman Mark Adams (GBR) commented, “We would welcome any proposals to reduce the size of the Olympic Winter Games from FIS, which is responsible for nearly half of the quota of athletes at the Games.”

That’s the key outcome of this otherwise inconsequential mess. The IOC put it to FIS directly: if you want to reduce the size of the Games, go ahead and do so.

Of the 2,922 athletes registered for the 2018 Winter Games, FIS competitions accounted or 1,306 of them, or 44.7%:

● 322: Alpine
● 313: Cross Country
● 268: Freestyle
● 248: Snowboard
● 100: Ski Jumping
● 55: Nordic Combined

Can this number be cut? Absolutely. Do we really need 106 in the men’s Slalom? Or 78 in the women’s Slalom? Or 119 men in the 15 km Cross Country Freestyle race? How about 90 women in the 10 km Freestyle?

No, we can do with less … and the coaches, medical staff, transport teams and others who accompany them.

This is Kasper’s opening to change the Winter Games to make it more manageable … if he dares. This is not what International Federations do; they always ask for more events and more athletes, and the FIS is no exception. But here is the opening to make a real change.

Will he? Probably not, but as they say in chess, the next move is his.

Rich Perelman
Editor

FENCING: Imboden regains no. 1 ranking with win in Turin Grand Prix

By
Rich Perelman
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American fencing star Race Imboden

The international fencing schedule features three Grand Prix events during the season, the most highly-prized tournaments outside of the World Championships for many fencers.

That made American Race Imboden’s win at the Foil Grand Prix in Turin especially satisfying. Not only did he win his second career Grand Prix, but it was his third medal in an FIE World Cup or Grand Prix in a month and moved him from no.3 in the FIE World Rankings back to no. 1.

Along the way, Imboden defeated 2018 World Champion Alessio Foconi of Italy, 15-13, in the semis. He then beat a surprise finalist in Ka Long Cheung of Hong Kong, who earned his first career Grand Prix medal and his first medal in a worldwide competition in two years!

There was more good news for the U.S. in third as Gerek Meinhardt won a bronze medal, and moved into the FIE World Rankings top-10 at number nine. It was his first Grand Prix medal in five years, but he had won a World Cup silver in Paris in January, so he is trending up once more.

Two more FIE World Cups were held, both in Epee. Japan’s Koki Kano won the men’s tournament in Vancouver, defeating Enrico Garozzo (ITA) in the final. It was Kano’s first-ever World Cup win and his second World Cup medal this season. American Jacob Hoyle, 24, won a bronze to go along with his Grand Prix bronze earlier in the year; he’s suddenly moved up to no. 9 in the rankings.

In Barcelona, Hong Kong’s Vivian Kong second her second World Cup win of the season and maintained her no. 2 worldwide ranking. Silver medalist Hyein Lee (KOR) won her second career World Cup medal. Summaries:

FIE Foil Grand Prix
Turin (ITA) ~ 8-10 February 2019
(Full results here)

Men’s Foil: 1. Race Imboden (USA); 2. Ka Long Cheung (HKG); 3. Alessio Foconi (ITA) and Gerek Meinhardt (USA). Semis: Imboden d. Foconi, 15-13; Cheung d. Meinhardt, 15-12. Final: Imboden d. Cheung, 15-6.

Women’s Foil: 1. Alice Volpi (ITA); 2. Elisa Di Francisca (ITA); 3. Anastasia Ivanova (RUS) and Francesca Palumbo (ITA). Semis: Volpi d. Ivanova, 15-12; Di Francisca d. Palumbo, 15-7; Final: Volpi d. Di Francisca, 15-9.

FIE Epee World Cup
Vancouver (CAN) ~ 8-10 February 2019
(Full results here)

Men’s Epee: 1. Koki Kano (JPN); 2. Enrico Garozzo (ITA); 3. Alexandre Bardenet (FRA) and Jacob Hoyle (USA). Semis: Kano d. Bardenet, 15-8; Garozzo d. Hoyle, 15-14. Final: Kano d. Garozzo, 15-7.

Men’s Team Epee: 1. Russia; 2. Israel; 3. France; 4. Denmark. Semis: Russia d. France, 45-33; Israel d. Denmark, 45-42. Third: France d. Denmark, 45-32. Final: Russia d. Israel, 45-36.

FIE Epee World Cup
Barcelona (ESP) ~ 8-10 February 2019
(Full results here)

Women’s Epee: 1. Man Wai Vivian Kong (HKG); 2. Hyein Lee (KOR); 3. Kristina Kuusk (EST) and Aleksandra Zamachowska (POL). Semis: Zamachowska d. Lee, 15-7; 2. Kong d. Kuusk, 15-11. Final: Kong d. Lee, 15-12.

Women’s Team Epee: 1. Poland; 2. Russia; 3. China; France. Semis: Poland d. France, 36-29; Russia d. China, 42-36. Third: China d. France, 45-38. Final: Poland d. Russia, 45-40.

CROSS COUNTRY SKIING: Norway’s Klaebo and Falla best in the Sprints in Lahti

By
Rich Perelman
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Norway's Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo (Photo: Steffen Proessdorf via Wikipedia)

Norway swept both of the individual Sprint races in Lahti (FIN), with Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo winning his sixth race of the season.

The short, 1.6 km race saw Klaebo finish just 0.30 seconds ahead of Italy’s Federico Pellegrino and 0.61 apart from teammate Finn Hagen Krogh, but it was another win.

Klaebo’s overall World Cup lead expanded to 1,134-946 over Russia’s Alexander Bolshunov after 22 of 29 races this season. He’s in position to win the seasonal title, but not close to clinching yet.

The women’s Sprint saw the 2017-18 Sprint champ, Maiken Caspersen Falla just edge Sophie Caldwell of the U.S., 2:43.64 to 2:43.75.

“I’m really happy with my race today,” said Caldwell. “The conditions were wet and fast and this course is always a fun one with how tactical it can be. I was happy to feel better as the day went on and to finish second in the final was awesome.”

It was Caldwell’s third medal of the season: all silvers and all in Freestyle Sprints. It’s the second time she’s won a medal in Lahti, previously a bronze in 2014 for her first World Cup podium.

Falla has won two Sprints in a row and has edged up on seasonal leader Stina Nilsson (SWE) to within 426-363. Another Sprint is scheduled for this week as the World Cup moves to Cogne (ITA). Summaries:

FIS Cross Country World Cup
Lahti (FIN) ~ 9-10 February 2019
(Full results here)

Men’s 1.6 km Freestyle Sprint: 1. Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo (NOR), 2:52.06; 2. Federico Pellegrino (ITA), +0:30; 3. Finn Haagen Krogh (NOR), +0.61; 4. Eirik Bransdal (NOR), +1:31; 5. Emil Iversen (NOR), +1.75.

Men’s Team Freestyle Sprint: 1. Emil Iversen/Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo (NOR), 18:57.19; 2. Sindre Skar/Eirik Brandsdal (NOR), 18:57.84; 3. Iivo Niskanen/Ristomatti Hakola (FIN), 18:57.90. Also: 12. Kevin Bolger/Logan Hanneman (USA), 19:37.82; … 14. Simi Hamilton/Erik Bjornsen (USA), 19:47.27.

Women’s 1.4 km Freestyle Sprint: 1. Maiken Caspersen Falla (NOR), 2:43.64; 2. Sophie Caldwell (USA), +0.11; 3. Maja Dahlqvist (SWE), +0.37; 4. Sandra Ringwald (GER), +0.46; 5. Mari Eide (NOR), +0.75.

Women’s Team Freestyle Sprint: 1. Ida Ingemarsdotter/Maja Dahlqvist (SWE), 18:24.96; 2. Tiril weng/Maiken Caspersen Falla (NOR), 18:26.80; 3. Evelina Settin/Hanna Falk (SWE), 18:28.51. Also: 12. Ida Sargent/Sophie Caldwell (USA), 18:47.52; … 14. Kelsey Phinney/Julia Kern (USA), 19:37.41.

BIATHLON: Boe and Eckhoff win their races in windy and cold Canmore

By
Rich Perelman
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Sometimes it’s too cold for even winter-sport athletes to compete. The Polar Vortex hammered Canmore (CAN) all during the week, allowing only the shortened individual races and relays to be held.

The Mass Start events scheduled for Saturday were changed to Sprints, but were canceled thanks to temperatures of -25 C (-13 F) on Saturday and -20 C (-4 F) on Sunday.

However, it was once again Johannes Thingnes Boe (NOR) who managed to get to the line first on Thursday, winning his 12th race out of 16 held this season. He extended his overall World Cup lead to 896-596 over Russia’s Alexander Loginov.

Norwegian teammate Tiril Eckhoff won the women’s 12.5 km Individual race for her sixth career World Cup victory and first in just more than a year. Italy’s Lisa Vittozzi was third, cutting her deficit from season-leading Dorothea Wierer (ITA) to 651-646.

The World Cup hopes for better weather this coming week in Salt Lake City (USA). Summaries from Canmore:

IBU World Cup
Canmore (CAN) ~ 7-10 February 2019
(Full results here)

Men’s 15 km Individual: 1. Johannes Thingnes Boe (NOR), 35:27.9 (0 penalties); 2. Vetle Sjaastad Christiansen (NOR), +2:10.2 (2); 3. Alexander Loginov (RUS), +2:41.0 (2); 4. Lars Helge Birkeland (NOR), +2:51.3 (1); 5. Dominik Windisch (ITA), +2:56.3 (2).

Men’s 10 km Sprint: Cancelled due to cold weather.

Men’s 4×7.5 km Relay: 1. Norway (Birkeland, Christiansen, Bjoentegaard, Boe), 1:16:36.6 (7); 2. France, +1:10.4 (8); 3. Russia, +1:48.4 (9); 4. Germany, +2:48.6 (15); 5. Austria, +3:22.2 (14). Also: 17. United States (Sean Doherty, Leif Nordgren, Max Durtschi, Travis Cooper), lapped.

Women’s 12.5 km Individual: 1. Tiril Eckhoff (NOR), 36:32.9 (1); 2. Marketa Davidova (CZE), +9.8 (0); 3. Lisa Vittozzi (ITA), +20.9 (0); 4. Franziska Hildebrand (GER), +47.8 (0); 5. Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold (NOR), +1:05.8 (1).

Women’s 7.5 km Sprint: Cancelled due to cold weather.

Women’s 4×6 km Relay: 1. Germany (Hinz, Hildebrand, Hermann, Dahlmeier), 1:10:16.3 (13); 2. Norway, +30.2 (9); 3. France, +41.6 (12); 4. Italy, +1:40.5 (9); 5. Switzerland, +2:24.6 (12). Also: 8. United States (Susan Dunklee, Clare Egan, Joanne Reid, Emily Dreissigacker), +3:58.4 (14).

ARCHERY: Wijler and Sim win Recurve titles in World Series Final in Las Vegas

By
Rich Perelman
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Steve Wijler (NED) shoots while Brady Ellison (USA) watches in Las Vegas (Photo: World Archery)

Against the background of the largest indoor archery tournament in history with 3,767 entries, the World Archery Indoor World Series concluded with two Recurve finals that were decided in shot-offs.

Veterans Steve Wijler (NED) and American Brady Ellison faced off in the men’s final and the match see-sawed back and forth. Ellison had a 3-1 lead after two ends, Wijler won the third end to tie the score and then Ellison and Wijler traded 30-28 rounds for a 5-5 tie after five ends. The rules called for a one-arrow shoot-off and Wijler took the title by 10-9.

“It is amazing,” said Wijler afterwards. “My shooting lately has been a bit rough and it’s great to be back on the podium again.To be honest, I don’t really care who I’m shooting against. If it’s Brady or whoever, I just want to win. It wasn’t my best match but I did enough.”

In the women’s all-Korean final, the situation was similar with Yeji Sim facing Chae-Young Kang. But the shooting was amazing. Both a nine in the first end, but tied, 29-29. They both shot 10s the rest of the match – 12 in a row for each – to finish five ends in a 5-5 tie. Then came the one-arrow shoot-off and it was Sim who hit the 10 and Kang who hit nine to decide the match.

“I was quite nervous and I didn’t know I could shoot that many 10s. I was competing with my teammate so it was less stressful, but I wanted to shoot well,” said Sim.

American Casey Kaufhold, 14, did very well and got to the bronze medal, but lost, 6-4, to Korea’s Chaeyun Kim.

The Compound finals were not quite as close. Russia’s Viktoria Balzhanova beat Sarah Prieels (BEL) by 146-144 and American Kris Schaff dropped just a single point in his final over Stephan Hansen (DEN), 149-146. Braden Gellenthien of the U.S. got third.

The top three in each division received prize money of CHF 8,000-4,000-1,500. Summaries:

World Archery Indoor World Series Final
Las Vegas, Nevada (USA) ~ 8-9 February 2019
(Full results here)

Men/Recurve: 1. Steve Wijler (NED); 2. Brady Ellison (USA); 3. Byeong-Yeon Min (KOR); 4. Bonchan Ku (KOR). Semis: Wijler d. Ku, 6-0; Ellison d. Min, 6-4. Third: Min d. Ku, 6-2. Final: Wijler d. Ellison, 6-5 (10-9 shoot-off).

Men/Compound: 1. Kris Schaff (USA); 2. Stephan Hansen (DEN); 3. Braden Gellenthien (USA); 4. Mike Schloesser (NED). Semis: Schaff d. Schloesser, 149-149 (10-10 shoot-off); Hansen d. Gellenthien, 150-149. Third: Gellenthien d. Schloesser, 149-147. Final: Schaff d. Hansen, 149-146.

Women/Recurve: 1. Yeji Sim (KOR); 2. Chae-Young Kang (KOR); 3. Chaeyun Kim (KOR); 4. Casey Kaufhold (USA). Semis: Sim d. Kim, 6-5 (10-10 shoot-off); Kang d. Kaufhold, 6-2. Third: Kim d. Kaufhold, 6-4. Final: Sim d. Kang, 6-5 (10-9 shoot-off).

Women/Compound: 1. Viktoria Balzhanova (RUS); 2. Sarah Prieels (BEL); 3. Tanja Jensen (DEN); 4. Paige Pearce (USA). Semis: Balzhanova d. Pearce, 148-147; Prieels d. Jensen, 148-147. Third: Jensen d. Pearce, 149-143. Final: Balhanova d. Prieels, 146-144.

FREESTYLE & SNOWBOARD: Bad weather ends Worlds with Slopestyle wins awarded to Corning & Sadowski Synnott

By
Rich Perelman
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World Snowboard Championships gold medalist Chris Corning (USA)

The weather has played a big role in the FIS Freestyle & Snowboard World Championships in Utah and dealt one final card to the event with heavy winds and an approaching storm that caused the cancellation of the men’s and women’s Snowboard Slopestyle event on Sunday.

Since the qualification round had gone off properly on Saturday, the standings from qualifying were made final. That meant Chris Corning of the U.S. (93.25) and Zoi Sadowski Synnott of New Zealand became World Champions.

“I can’t argue with the decision, there were definitely safety concerns,” Corning said. “It sucks, but it is what it is. It was really happy with my run yesterday. It was hard to see and probably one of the scariest contest runs I’ve had to do in a long time. I was looking forward to today to ride. But I’ll take it, because I planted my run yesterday pretty solid.”

Canada’s Mark McMorris earned the silver at 93.00 and American Judd Henkes, 17 (90.50) earned the bronze.

Olympic bronze medalist Sadowski Synnott, 17, ascended to the top of the podium thanks to a near-perfect ride the day before. “I really liked the course,” she said. “I thought it had a really nice flow. I love the options for the rails. They gave you a ton to experiment with and get creative with. I was really stoked with yesterday’s run. I dropped second from last, I put down my first run and was really, really happy. I got my rail line and then my jump suite which I hadn’t been getting in practice.”

Silver went to Norway’s Silje Norendal and the bronze to American Jamie Anderson, Olympic gold medalist in this event in 2014 and 2018, but a first-time World Championships medalist.

“I was honestly pretty sad they canceled the finals,” said Anderson, “There are a lot of mixed emotions. I was on the podium but I still wanted to have a chance to ride better. But there were definitely some gusty winds, and in the end they made the best decision.”

As for the weather scorecard, the men’s and women’s Snowboard Big Air events were not held at all, and the Freestyle Slopestyle was also canceled. Summaries:

FIS Snowboard World Championships
Park City, Utah (USA) ~ 1-10 February 2019
(Full results here)

Men’s Big Air (at Canyons Village): Cancelled due to bad weather.

Men’s Halfpipe: 1. Scotty James (AUS), 97.50; 2. Yuto Totsuka (JPN), 92.25; 3. Patrick Burgener (SUI), 91.25; 4. Toby Miller (USA), 90.00; 5. Kent Callister (AUS), 79.00; 6. Ikko Anai (JPN), 75.75; 7. Derek Livingston (CAN), 73.75; 8. Yiwei Zhang (CHN), 61.25.

Men’s Parallel Giant Slalom/ Big Final: 1. Dmitry Loginov (RUS); 2. Tim Mastnak (SLO); Small Final: 3. Stefan Baumeister (GER); 4. Vic Wild (RUS).

Men’s Parallel Slalom/ Big Final: 1. Loginov (RUS); 2. Ronald Fischnaller (ITA); Small Final: 3. Baumeister (GER); 4. Dmitry Sarsembaev (RUS).

Men’s Slopestyle (final placings based on qualification scores): 1. Chris Corning (USA), 93.25; 2. Mark McMorris (CAN), 93.00; 3. Judd Henkes (USA), 90.50; 4. Hiroaki Kunitake (JPN), 89.75; 5. Takeru Otsuka (JPN), 89.50; 6. Niek Velden van Der (NED), 87.50; 7. Mons Roisland (NOR), 83.75; 8. Sebbe de Buck (BEL), 82.50. Also in the top 25: 11. Red Gerard (USA), 72.50.

Men’s Snowboard Cross (at Solitude Mountain)/ Big Final: 1. Mick Dierdorff (USA); 2. Hanno Douschan (AUT); 3. Emanuel Perathoner (ITA); 4. Lucas Eguibar (ESP). Small Final: 5. Jake Vedder (USA); 6. Baptiste Brochu (CAN); 7. Paul Berg (GER); 8. Leon Beckhaus (GER).

Women’s Big Air (at Canyons Village): Cancelled due to bad weather.

Women’s Halfpipe: 1. Chloe Kim (USA), 93.50; 2. Xuetong Cai (CHN), 84.00; 3. Maddie Mastro (USA), 82.00; 4. Queralt Castellet (ESP), 81.00; 5. Arielle Gold (USA), 79.00; 6. Verena Rohrer (SUI), 75.00; 7. Kurumi Imai (JPN), 74.50; 8. Elizabeth Hosking (CAN), 60.25.

Women’s Parallel Giant Slalom/ Big Final: 1. Selina Joerg (GER); 2. Natalia Soboleva (RUS); Small Final: 3. Ladina Jenny (SUI); 4. Milena Bykova (RUS).

Women’s Parallel Slalom/ Big Final: 1. Julie Zogg (SUI); 2. Annamari Dancha (UKR); Small Final: 3. Ramona Hofmeister (GER); 4. Maria Valova (RUS).

Women’s Slopestyle (final placings based on qualification scores): 1. Zoi Sadowski Synnott (NZL), 91.75; 2. Silje Norendal (NOR), 88.75; 3. Jamie Anderson (USA), 87.25; 4. Cheryl Maas (NED), 84.25; 5. Reira Iwabuchi (JPN), 82.75; 6. Jasmine Baird (CAN), 82.50; 7. Klaudia Medlova (SVK), 78.50; 8. Brooke Voight (CAN), 78.25. Also in the top 25: 19. Julia Marino (USA), 47.50; 20. Hailey Langland (USA), 43.50.

Women’s Snowboard Cross (at Solitude Mountain)/ Big Final: 1. Eva Samkova (CZE); 2. Charlotte Bankes (GBR); 3. Michela Moioli (ITA); 4. Francesca Gallina (ITA). Small Final: 5. Lindsey Jacobellis (USA); 6. Raffaella Bruto (ITA); 7. Chloe Trespeuch (FRA); 8. Carle Brenneman (CAN).

Mixed Snowboard Cross Team (at Solitude Mountain)/ Big Final: 1. Mick Dierdorff/Lindsey Jacobellis (USA); 2. Omar Visintin/Michaela Moioli (ITA); 3. Paul Berg/Hanna Ihedioha (GER); 4. Emanuel Perathoner/Francesca Gallina (ITA). Small Final: 5. Loan Bozzolo/Chloe Trespeuch (FRA); 6. Baptiste Brochu/Carle Brenneman (CAN); 7. Merlin Surget/Nelly Moenne Loccoz (FRA); 8. Kalle Koblet/Lara Casanova (SUI).

SNOWBOARD: Bolton wins his first, Jacobellis her 30th World Cup in Feldberg Snowcross

By
Rich Perelman
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American Snowboard superstar Lindsey Jacobellis (Photo: FIS/Miha Matavz)

The 2019 World Championships didn’t go exactly the way American star Lindsey Jacobellis wanted. She won a gold medal with Mick Dierdorff in the Mixed Team final, but had to settle for fifth place and winning the Small Final in the women’s SnowCross event.

But she is undaunted as usual and the Snowboard Cross World Cup continued in Feldberg (GER) even before the Freestyle and Snowboard Worlds conclude in Utah.

The women’s field in Feldberg was excellent, including 2019 Worlds gold medalist Eva Samkova (CZE) and bronze medalist Michela Moioli (ITA). No problem for the winningest Snowboarder ever; Jacobellis managed to get into the lead off the first turn and maintained her edge all the way to the finish for her 30th career World Cup win.

“I’m really happy with the way my starts are coming together,” said Jacobellis afterwards. “It makes things a lot easier when you don’t have to battle through traffic. I got out front and tried to stay in the smallest tuck possible so that I wasn’t creating a lot of draft for the girls behind me.”

The men’s final showcased athletes who weren’t on the medal stand in Utah, and Australia’s Cameron Bolton used the same tactic: get in front and stay there. It worked for his first career World Cup victory. Runner-up Paul Berg (GER) got his World Cup medal of the season and bronze medalist Konstantin Schad (GER) won his first World Cup medal since 2013!

FIS Snowboard World Cup
Feldberg (GER) ~ 8-10 February 2019
(Full results here)

Men’s Snowboard Cross/ Big Final: 1. Cameron Bolton (AUS); 2. Paul Berg (GER); 3. Konstantin Schad (GER); 4. Yoshiki Takahara (JPN).

Women’s Snowboard Cross/ Big Final: 1. Lindsey Jacobellis (USA); 2. Michela Moioli (ITA); 3. Eva Samkova (CZE); 4. Chloe Trespeuch (FRA).

Mixed Team SnowCross: Cancelled.

FIGURE SKATING: Uno and Kihira shine brightest at Four Continents

By
Rich Perelman
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Japan's Rika Kihira (Photo: ISU)

Being in front after the Short Program was the wrong place to be at the ISU Four Continents Championships in Anaheim, California (USA). Every one of the first-day leaders faltered, and ended up second, third or worse.

The women’s programs were concluded first and Japan’s Rika Kihira, 16 and the winner of the Grand Prix Final in her first senior season, was fifth after the Short Program, trailing American Bradie Tennell, 73.91 to 68.85. But Kihira was terrific in the Free Skate, scoring 153.14 and dominating the event, way ahead of runner-up Mai Mihara (JPN: 141.97) and Elizabet Tursynbaeva (KAZ: 139.37); Tursynbaeva ended up second overall. Tennell was fifth in the Free Skate and ended up fifth.

Kihira said afterwards, “As for the [opening] triple Axel, I decided in the warm-up whether I would do one or two. I had not enough practice at the main rink and I decided to play it safe in the program and did only one triple Axel. In the practice rink this morning I tried as many triple Axels as possible. In the six minutes’ warm-up, [I] felt I need to focus, concentrate and just do it. The most important thing I learned from this competition is – no matter what happens never give up, keep going.”

It was fourth straight win by a Japanese skater in the Four Continents women’s division.

The men’s competition was just about as dramatic, as American Vincent Zhou won the Short Program at 100.18, ahead of Korea’s Junhwan Cha (97.33). But Olympic silver winner Shoma Uno was just as outstanding in the Free Skate as Kihira had been, racking up 197.36 points to 181.34 for Boyang Jin (CHN), with Zhou at 172.04 in fifth. That propelled Uno to the win, completing his three-year rise from bronze (2017) to silver (2018) to gold. Zhou managed to hold on to third.

Said Uno, “I don’t want to be caught up with rankings, but I am very happy with how I did with the program and to score first place. It was my first big medal at the senior level. For Worlds, I want to practice more and win the World title.”

Said Zhou, “I am very proud of myself at this competition for continuing the upward trend I put myself on. I’m looking forward to the next month of training for Worlds and to continue to improve the consistency.

“I expect myself to improve even more. I really want my skating to be something that everyone can enjoy, watch because they love watching good skating, freedom on the ice, and that’s what I hope to show at the Worlds and in competitions after that.”

The Pairs and Ice Dance events were much closer.

In Pairs, Canada’s Kirsten Moore-Towers and Michael Marinaro were ahead after the Short Program, but only by 0.47 over Olympic silver medalists Wenjing Sui and Cong Han (CHN). That was reversed in the Free Skate, as Sui and Han were superb and out-scored the Canadians by 136.92-136.39 and that was enough for a 211.11-211.05 win. A poorly-performed lift by Marinano might have been the difference.

For Sui and Han, it was their fifth Four Continents win and third in the last four years.

The Ice Dance leaders after the Rhythm Dance were, as expected, Madison Hubbell and Zach Donohue of the U.S., at 81.95 over teammates Madison Chock and Evan Bates (81.17). But the Free Dance was another story, as Hubbell and Donohue were penalized for an improper lift and fell to fourth at 119.91. Chock and Bates earned the highest Technical Element Score and ended up winning the Free Dance at 126.25, and the overall title. Their total score of 207.42 was well ahead of Canada’s Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje (203.93) and Hubbell and Donohue fell to fourth at 201.66.

For Chock and Bates, the win was a relief. They had been second at Four Continents in 2015-16 and third in 2013 and 2017. In Anaheim, they finally got a gold. Summaries:

ISU Four Continents Championships
Anaheim, California (USA) ~ 7-10 February 2019
(Full results here)

Men: 1. Shoma Uno (JPN), 289.12 (4+1); 2. Boyang Jin (CHN), 273.51 (3+2); 3. Vincent Zhou (USA), 272.22 (1+5); 4. Keegan Messing (CAN), 267.61 (5+3); 5. Jason Brown (USA), 258.89 (6+4); 6. Junhwan Cha (KOR), 255.83 (2+8); 7. Keiji Tanaka (JON), 251.54 (7+6); 8. Tomoki Hiwatashi (USA), 236.79 (9+7).

Women: 1. Rika Kihira (JPN), 221.99 (5+1); 2. Elizabet Tursynbaeva (KAZ), 207.46 (6+3); 3. Mai Mihara (JPN), 207.12 (8+2); 4. Kaori Sakamoto (JPN), 206.79 (2+4); 5. Bradie Tennell (USA), 202.07 (1+5). Also: 6. Mariah Bell (USA), 193.94 (3+6); … 11. Ting Cui (USA), 164.84 (7+14).

Pairs: 1. Wenjing Sui/Cong Han (CHN), 211.11 (2+1); 2. Kirsten Moore-Towers/Michael Marinaro (CAN), 211.05 (1+2); 3. Cheng Peng/Yang Jin (CHN), 205.42 (3+3); 4. Ashley Cain/Timothy LeDuc (USA), 196.82 (4+4); 5. Haven Denney/Brandon Frazier (USA), 184.18 (7+5). Also: 6. Tarah Kayne/Danny O’Shea (USA), 184.18 (7+5).

Ice Dance: 1. Madison Chock/Evan Bates (USA), 207.42 (2+1); 2. Kaitlyn Weaver/Andrew Poje (CAN), 203.93 (3+3); 3. Piper Gilles/Paul Poirier (CAN), 202.45 (4+2); 4. Madison Hubbell/Zachary Donohue (USA), 201.66 (1+4); 5. Kaitlin Hawayek/Jean-Luc Baker (USA), 189.87 (5+5); 6. Laurence Fournier Beaudry/Nikolai Sorenson (CAN), 186.91 (6+6); 7. Shiyue Wang/Xinyu Liu (CHN), 169.11 (7+7); 8. Hong Chen/Zhuoming Sun (CHN), 156.99 (8+8).

SHORT TRACK: Korea sweeps men’s individual titles in Turin World Cup Final

By
Rich Perelman
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Olympic Short Track gold medalist Suzanne Schulting (NED)

Korea has been the dominant power in Short Track Speed Skating for years and showcased its ability and depth once again in the Short Track World Cup’s final stage in Turin (ITA).

Korean men won the 500 m races (Dae-Heon Hwang and Hyo Jun Lim), the 1,000 m (Hwang) and 1,500 m (Gun-Woo Kim) and captured the World Cup seasonal titles in all three events. Lim won the seasonal 500 m crown, Ji-Yoo Park took the 1,000 m title and Kim won the 1,500 m event.

The women’s prizes were more evenly distributed, with Suzanne Schulting of the Netherlands winning the 1,500 m on the ice and the seasonal titles at 1,000 m and 1,500 m.

Even though Martina Valcepina (ITA) won both of the 500 m races in front of home fans, Poland’s Natalia Maliszewska won the 500 m World Cup seasonal title. Summaries:

ISU Short Track World Cup
Turin (ITA) ~ 8-10 February 2019
(Full results here)

Men

500 m I: Dae Heon Hwang (KOR), 41.128; 2. Shaolin Sandor Liu (HUN), 41.225; 3. Cedrik Blais (CAN), 1:07.939.

500 m II: 1. Hyo Jun Lim (KOR), 41.314; 2. Gun Woo Kim (KOR), 41.666; 3. Songnan Yu (CHN), 41.744.

500 m Final Standings: 1. Lim (KOR), 31,439; 2. Dajing Wu (CHN), 30,000; 3. Sa Girard (CAN), 26.434.

1,000 m: 1. Dae-Heon Hwang (KOR), 1:27.257; 2. Ji-Won Park (KOR), 1:27.494; 3. Steven Dubois (CAN), 1:27.583.

1,000 m Final Standings: 1. J-Y Park (KOR), 37,250; 2. Kyung Hwan Hong (KOR), 24.459; 3. Shaoang Liu (HUN), 23,277. Also: 20. Thomas Hong (USA), 5,792; … 23. Aaron Tran (USA), 4,707.

1,500 m: 1. Gun Woo Kim (KOR), 2:12.823; 2. Hyung Hwan Hong (KOR), 2:13.227; 3. Steven Dubois (CAN), 2:13.309. Also: 9. Tran (USA), 2:15.545.

1,500 m Final Standings: 1. G-W Kim (KOR), 38,000; 2. Dubois (CAN), 23,040; 3. June Seo Lee (KOR), 22,515. Also: 20. Tran (USA), 3,076.

5,000 m Relay: 1. Russia (Ayrapetyan, Elistratov, Shulginov, Sitnikov), 7:00.206; 2. Japan, 7:00.703; 3. Italy, 7:06.520.

5,000 m Relay Final Standings: 1. Hungary, 29,677; 2. Canada, 26,397; 3. Japan, 24,192. Also: 9. United States, 8.918.

Women

500 m I: 1. Martina Valcepina (ITA), 43.942; 2. Natalia Maliszewska (POL), 43.966; 3. Kim Boutin (CAN), 44.184.

500 m II: 1. Valcepina (ITA), 43.643; 2. Elise Christie (GBR), 43.903; 3. Maame Biney (USA), 44.010.

500 m Final Standings: 1. Maliszewska (POL), 40,800; 2. Valcepina (ITA), 39.216; 3. Lara van Ruijven (NED), 35,216. Also: 9. Biney (USA), 12,812.

1,000 m: 1. Boutin (CAN), 1:32.508; 2. Min Jeong Choi (KOR), 1:32.814; 3. Alyson Charles (CAN), 1:32.891.

1,000 m Final Standings: 1. Suzanne Schulting (NED), 40,000; 2. Sofia Prosvirnova (RUS), 29.695; 3. Charles (CAN), 26.640. Also: 11. Kristin Santos (USA), 8,812.

1,500 m: 1. Suzanne Schulting (NED), 2:24.991; 2. Ji Yoo Kim (KOR), 2:25.062; 3. Anna Seidel (GER), 2:25.193.

1,500 m Final Standings: 1. Schulting (NED), 34,400; 2. J-Y Kim (KOR), 29.277; 3. Min Jeong Choi (KOR), 28,192.

3,000 m Relay: 1. Netherlands (de Vries, Schulting, van Kerkhof, van Ruijven), 4:10.115; 2. Italy, 4:11.021; 3. Russia, 4:12.590.

3,000 m Relay Final Standings: 1. Russia, 34,400; 2. Netherlands, 33,120; 3. Korea, 32,400. Also: 10. United States, 7,911.

Mixed:

2,000 m Relay: 1. Russia (Efremekova, Elistratov, Sitnikov, Zakharova), 2:40.553; 2. Canada, 2:40.614; 3. United States (Maame Biney, Kristen Santos, Jonathan So, Aaron Tran), 2:43.493.

SPEED SKATING: World titles for Mantia and Bowe in Inzell!

By
Rich Perelman
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American Joey Mantia steals the Mass Start World title in Inzell (Photo: ISU).

American Brittany Bowe was a double World Champion in 2015, but her world changed completely after a collision on the ice in mid-2016 that left her with a concussion and feinting spells.

She has now come all the way back, winning her third world title with a dominating victory in the 1,000 m in the ISU World Single-Distance Championships in Inzell (GER).

Skating in the next-to-last pairing, Bowe was skating against Japan’s formidable sprinter Nao Kodaira the 2018 Olympic champ at 500 m and silver medalist at 1,000 m.

“I wasn’t worried abut that time at all,” said Bowe afterwards. “When I’m on the inner (lane) with Nao, one of the fastest openers in the world, I knew I had to open fast but remain within my game plan and not go harder than I normally do, because I have that gas at the end.

“But I knew I needed to get it going, so she did not have a good chase on that first back stretch, and I knew she would come under me in that second turn, but I tried to remain calm. Driving out of that second corner with just one lap to go, I was just looking at her the whole way, fighting.”

She won the pairing at 1:13.41 and took the lead, with one pair left. That included the new World 500 m Champion, Austria’s Vanessa Herzog. She managed to eclipse Kodaira’s mark of 1:14.44 and finished in 1:14.38 for silver, but the event belonged to Bowe, four years after her victory in 2015.

“It feels good, to be able to hear my national anthem on top of that podium, it’s been some time now. It definitely makes you appreciate more how difficult this sport is. It’s taken two solid years to get back and I never gave up believing in myself and neither did my coaching staff.”

The U.S. had another victory to celebrate at the event, as Joey Mantia managed to defend his own world title from 2017 in the Mass Start event. His win was as much as product of looking for opportunities as of any race plan.

Belgium’s Bart Swings tried to steal the race with a lap to go, but crashed. The Korean pair of Cheon-Ho Um and Jaewon Chung took the lead and looked like gold and silver until they collided coming out of the final turn. Mantia’s sprint to the finish caught them both.

“I spent the last eight or nine laps watching people really fight the turns, so I just relaxed, and did not use too much energy.

“With three to go things were together still, and I was looking, ‘Am I going to make a move here?’ I felt pretty good. Two to go came around and then the Koreans were moving up. I knew they were going to be the two to key off of, so I made a move to the outside and people were falling everywhere and I thought, ‘OK, I’ll take it.’ I took that last corner wide and I took advantage of them bumping into each other.”

Along with a bronze from Bowe in the women’s 1,500m, the U.S. collected three medals in Inzell, which was – as usual – dominated by Dutch skaters. Kai Verbij won his first 1,000 m title, Thomas Krol won his first 1,500 m gold and Jorrit Bergsma won his third 10,000 m championship.

A noteworthy change at the top came in the men’s 5,000 m, where Norway’s Sverre Lunde Pedersen won the race, ending a streak nine straight wins by Dutch skaters, eight of them by Sven Kramer, who finished third. In all, the Dutch won five of the eight men’s races.

The women’s sprint was won by Herzog, who won Austria’s first-ever medal in the event, ahead of defending champ Kodaira by 0.78 seconds. The amazing Ireen Wust (NED) won the 1,500 for the fourth time stretching all the way back to 2007. In the last 10 World Championships, she has won a medal in this event in eight of them! Teammate Irene Schouten won the Mass Start for the second time, previously in 2015.

The most amazing performance in the meet, however, came from Czech star Martina Sabilkova. Now 31, she won the 3,000 m for the fifth time in the last 12 years and then took the 5,000 m for a stunning 10th time in a row, from 2007 to 2019.

Skating in the final pairing, Sabilkova knew what she had to do to beat Esmee Visser (NED) and her time of 6:46.143.

Said the winner, “I tried to do all 32.0 (second laps). Sometimes it was one-tenth slower and sometimes one-tenth faster, but I managed to keep my pace. It was almost impossible, but I saw the public, and my brother was here. It was so emotional when we met today, because he did not have a chance to see me after my win in the 3000 m. He came all the way to see me and he inspired me. I’m a fighter.

“I knew she (Visser) had a final lap in 33.0, so heading into the last lap I knew that if I could keep my technique, I would win.” She did, clocking 6:44.854 for her 19th World Champion gold and 26th in her storied career.

The speed skating championship season is just getting started. The World Sprint Championships will be on 23-24 February in Heerenveen (NED), and the World Allround Championships on 2-3 March in Calgary (CAN). Summaries:

ISU World Single-Distance Championships
Inzell (GER) ~ 7-10 February 2019
(Full results here)

Men

500 m: 1. Ruslan Murashov (RUS), 34.225; 2. Havard Holmefjord Lorentzen (NOR), 34.356; 3. Viktor Mushkatov (RUS), 34.432; 4. Min Kyu Cha (KOR), 34.449; 5. Yuma Murakami (JPN), 34.471; 6. Ronald Mulder (NED), 34.508; 7. Pavel Kulizhnikov (RUS), 34.534; 8. Dai Dai Ntab (NED), 34.555.

1,000 m: 1. Kai Verbij (NED), 1:07.399; 2. Thomas Krol (NED), 1:07.672; 3. Kjeld Nuis (NED), 1:07.814; 4. Lorentzen (NOR), 1:07.855; 5. Denis Yuskov (RUS), 1:08.107; 6. Kulizhnikov (RUS), 1:08.132; 7. Viktor Mushtakov (RUS), 1:08.380; 8. Nico Ihle (GER), 1:08.407. Also: 12. Joey Mantia (USA), 1:08.689; … 22. Kimani Griffin (USA), 1:10.053.

1,500 m: 1. Krol (NED), 1:42.582; 2. Pedersen (NOR), 1:43.160; 3. Yuskov (RUS), 1:43.202; 4. Seitaro Ichinohe (JPN), 1:43.540; 5. Nuis (NED), 1:43.604; 6. Zhongyan Ning (CHN), 1:44.276; 7. Patrick Roest (NED), 1:44.979; 8. Mantia (USA), 1:45.240.

5,000 m: 1. Sverre Lunde Pedersen (NOR), 6:07.16; 2. Patrick Roest (NED), 6:11.700; 3. Sven Kramer (NED), 6;1.531; 4. Alexander Rumyantsev (RUS), 6:13.754; 5. Ted-Jan Bloemen (CAN), 6:13.795; 6. Patrick Beckert (GER), 6:15.762; 7. Sergey Trofimov (RUS), 6:16.108; 8. Danila Semerikov (RUS), 6:16.595.

10,000 m: 1. Jorrit Bergsma (NED), 12:52.928; 2. Roest (NED), 12:53.343; 3. Semerikov (RUS), 12:57.400; 4. Patrick Beckert (GER), 12:57.402; 5. Rumyantsev (RUS), 12:57.929; 6. Davide Ghiotto (ITA), 13:04.498; 7. Graeme Fish (CAN), 13:05.698; 8. Peter Michael (NZL), 13:13.728.

Mass Start: 1. Mantia (USA), 7:35.660; 2. Cheonho Um (KOR), 7:36.110; 3. Jaewon Chung (KOR), 7:36.300; 4. Andrea Giovannini (ITA), 7:36.640; 5. Ichinohe (JPN), 7:37.400; 6. Peter Michael (NZL), 7:49.430; 7. tie, Livio Wenger (SUI) and Semerikov (RUS), 7:37.440.

Team Sprint: 1. Netherlands (Mulder, Nuis, Verbij, Krol), 1:19.053; 2. Korea (J. Kim, T. Kim, Cha), 1:20.004; 3. Russia (Yuskov, Kulizhnikov, Murashov, Mushtakov), 1:20.102; 4. Germany, 1:20.598; 5. Poland, 1:22.761; 6. Belarus, 1:23.518; China and Norway, disqualified.

Team Pursuit: 1. Netherlands (Kramer, de Vries, Bosker, Huizinga), 3:38.432; 2. Norway (Bokko, Pedersen, Henriksen, Ulekleiv), 3:40.807; 3. Russia (Rumyantsev, Semerikov, Trofimov, Zakharov), 3:41.314; 4. Japan, 3:41.966; 5. Canada, 3:43.046; 6. Italy, 3:44.187; 7. Korea, 3:48.830; 8. Kazakhstan, 3:48.888.

Women

500 m: 1. Vanessa Herzog (AUT), 37.124; 2. Nao Kodaira (JPN), 37.202; 3. Kanami Soga (JPN), 37.607; 4. Angelina Golikova (RUS), 37.695; 5. Olga Fatkulina (RUS), 37.760; 6. Brittany Bowe (USA), 37.776; 7. Maki Tsuji (JPN), 37.850; 8. Daria Kachanova (RUS), 37.981. Also: 15. Erin Jackson (USA), 38.328.

1,000 m: 1. Bowe (USA), 1:13.414; 2. Herzog (AUT), 1:14.389; 3. Kodaira (JPN), 1:14.443; 4. M. Takagi (JPN), 1:14.584; 5. Jutta Leerdam (NED), 1:14.639; 6. Antoinette de Jong (NED), 1:14.703; 7. Yekaterina Shikhova (RUS), 1:14.882; 8. Sanneke de Neeling (NED), 1:14.954. Also: 15. Kimi Goetz (USA), 1:15.884.

1,500 m: 1. Ireen Wust (NED), 1:52.814; 2. M. Takagi (JPN), 1:53.323; 3. Bowe (USA), 1:53.369; 4. Shikhova (RUS), 1:53.418; 5. De Jong (NED), 1:53.762; 6. Melissa Wijfje (NED), 1:54.500; 7. Evgeniia Lalenkova (RUS), 1:54.944; 8. Francesca Lollobrigida (ITA), 1:55.153.

3,000 m: 1. Martina Sabilkova (CZE), 3:58.911; 2. Antoinette de Jong (NED), 3:59.411; 3. Natalia Voronina (RUS), 3:59.992; 4. Carlijn Achtereekte (NED), 4:00.476; 5. Ireen Wust (NED), 4:01.450; 6. Miho Takagi (JPN), 4:02.175; 7. Isabelle Weidemann (CAN), 4:03.497; 8. Lalenkova (RUS), 4:03.577.

5,000 m: 1. Sabilkova (CZE), 6:44.854; 2. Esmee Visser (NED), 6:46.143; 3. Voronina (RUS), 6:50.393; 4. Weidemann (CAN), 6:56.133; 5. Carien Kleibeuker (NED), 6:56.471; 6. Ivanie Blondin (CAN), 6:56.731; 7. Claudia Pechstein (GER), 7:00.091; 8. Elena Sokhryakova (RUS), 7:04.601.

Mass Start: 1. Irene Schouten (NED), 8:27.840; 2. Blondin (CAN), 8:28.460; 3. Elizaveta Kazelina (RUS), 8:29.290; 4. Lollobrigida (ITA), 8:29.540; 5. Ayano Sato (JPN), 8:29.660; 6. Elena Moller Rigas (DEN), 8:43.950; 7. Qi Yin (CHN), 8:50.240; 8. Mia Kilburg-Manganello (USA), 8:50.320. Also: 18. Goetz (USA), 8:36.460.

Team Sprint: 1. Netherlands (Smit, de Jong, de Neeling, Leerdam), 1:26.289; 2. Canada (Hudey, Irvine, Christ, McLean), 1:27.215; 3. Russia (Shikhova, Fatkulina, Golikova, Kachanova), 1:27.262; 4. Italy, 1:28.613; 5. China, 1:29.516; 6. Korea, 1:29.834; 7. Norway, 1:30.567.

Team Pursuit: 1. Japan (M. Takagi, N. Takagi, Sato, Sakai), 2:55.785; 2. Netherlands (Wust, van Beek, de Jong, Beune), 2:56.205; 3. Russia (Sokhryakova, Voronina, Kazelina, Lalenkova), 2:57.725; 4. Canada, 2:58.307; 5. China, 3:04.075; 6. Poland, 3:05.333; 7. United States (Mia Kilburg-Manganello, Carlijn Schoutens, Kimi Goetz, Brianna Bocox), 3:06.007; 8. Italy, 3:07.871.

ALPINE SKIING: Comebacks complete: Stuhec wins and Vonn third in women’s Downhill

By
Rich Perelman
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The women's Downhill medalists: Suter, Stuhec and Vonn (Photo: FIS)

While the American media has been consumed with Lindsey Vonn’s final race in Sunday’s women’s Downhill at the FIS World Championships in Are (SWE), there was another comeback story going on at the same time.

Slovenia’s Ilka Stuhec – like Vonn a World Champion in her own right and the defending champion in the Downhill – was trying to come all the way back from a devastating injury that kept her out of the 2018 Olympic Winter Games. She missed all of the 2017-18 season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee during a crash.

So on Sunday, it was a return to glory for both as Stuhec won her second consecutive world title in the women’s Downhill and Vonn took the bronze medal, her eighth in World Championships competition.

Vonn posted an emotional tweet hours before starting:

One last time I will stand in the starting gate.
One last time I will feel the adrenaline running through my veins.
One last time I will risk it all.
One last time… I will remember it forever.
Let’s do this!

Vonn rushed down the mountain in the no. 3 position and posted a swift time of 1:02.23, but then began the long process of waiting to see what came after. Olympic Downhill champ Sofia Goggia (ITA) came two skiers later, but was slower at 1:02.76. Norway’s Ragnhild Mowinckel skied sixth, but her 1:02.33 was slower than Vonn. Austria’s Stephanie Venier was next and was also slower, at 1:02.27.

Stuhec was ninth in the order and skied aggressively and took the lead at 1:01.74, a time that looked hard to beat, and no one did.

Vonn looked good for silver for a long time, but Swiss Corinne Suter, the bronze medalist in the Super-G, came on from the 19th position to scare Stuhec’s time and finished n 1:01.97 for the silver medal.

Stuhec was overjoyed. “I still have to gather all my feelings because I’m quite emotional so it might take a while. None of what happened before actually matters because it’s a new day and a new chance. We all start from zero and it’s the same for everyone. I just do my best and apparently it was good enough.”

Vonn was satisfied. “I think everyone knows my mentality by now, I always risk everything all the time, which is the reason I’ve been able to win so much and it’s also the reason why I crash so much and have had so many injuries. I risked it all today. I was so nervous all day and had serious anxiety. I wanted more than anything to finish strong. I didn’t want to end up like I did on Tuesday, in the fence.”

Vonn won a medal in her sixth World Championships and is reportedly the oldest women’s medal winner in Worlds history at 34. Stuhec, at 28, and Suter, at 24, will be stars for years to come, but they shared the podium with a skiing legend.

There was bad news in the American camp, as Laurenne Ross’s crash last Thursday will end her season. She posted on Instagram, “On Thursday morning, while warming up for the training run, I crashed and sustained a concussion and left-knee injury. My knee doesn’t seem to need surgery, but it is time for some rest for both my body and head. Unfortunately this means I won’t be able to race in the World Champs DH tomorrow, and will likely be out for the remainder of the season.”

The Worlds continue with the Men’s Alpine Combined on Monday. Look for results here. Summaries:

FIS Alpine World Championships
Are (SWE) ~ 5-17 February 2019
(Full results here)

Men’s Downhill: 1. Kjetil Jansrud (NOR), 1:19.98; 2. Aksel Lund Svindal (NOR), 1:20.00; 3. Vincent Kriechmayr (AUT), 1:20.31; 4. Beat Feuz (SUI), 1:20.42; 5. Matthias Mayer (AUT), 1:20.63; 6. Dominik Paris (ITA), 1:20.72; 7. Benjamin Thomsen (CAN), 1:20.73; 8. Aleksander Aamodt Kilde (NOR), 1:20.80. Also: 9 (tie). Bryce Bennett (USA), 1:20.81; … 12. Ryan Cochran-Siegle (USA), 1:21.00; … 23. Steven Nyman (USA), 1:21.55; … 26. Travis Ganong (USA), 1:21.63.

Men’s Super-G: 1. Paris (ITA), 1:24.20; 2. tie, Johan Clarey (FRA) and Kriechmayr (AUT), 1:24.29; 4. Christof Innerhofer (ITA), 1:24.55; 5. Adrien Theaux (FRA), 1:24.57; 6. Josef Ferstl (GER), 1:24.59; 7. Brice Roger (FRA), 1:24.61; 8. tie, Mattia Casse (ITA), Nyman (USA) and Adrian Sejersted (NOR), 1:24.70. Also in the top 25: 11. Cochran-Siegle (USA), 1:24.73; … 23. Bennett (USA), 1:25.82.

Women’s Downhill: 1. Ilka Stuhec (SLO), 1:01.74; 2. Corinne Suter (SUI), 1:01.97; 3. Lindsey Vonn (USA), 1:02.23; 4. Stephanie Venier (AUT), 1:02.27; 5. Ragnhild Mowinckel (NOR), 1:02.33; 6. Nicol Delago (ITA), 1:02.36; 7. Ramona Siebenhofer (AUT), 1:02.38; 8. Lara Gut-Behrami (SUI), 1:02.52. Also: 22. Alice Merryweather (USA), 1:03.26.

Women’s Super-G: 1. Mikaela Shiffrin (USA), 1:04.89; 2. Sofia Goggia (ITA), 1:04.91; 3. Suter (SUI), 1:04.94; 4. Viktor Rebensburg (GER), 1:04.96; 5. Nadia Fanchini (ITA), 1:05.03; 6. Mowinckel (NOR), 1:05.05; 7. Francesca Marsaglia (ITA), 1:05.13; 8. Stuhec (SLO), 1:05.15; 9. Gut-Behrami (SUI), 1:05.37; 10. Federica Brignone (ITA), 1:05.43. Also in the top 25: 22. Merryweather (USA), 1:07.22.

Women’s Combined: 1. Wendy Holdener (SUI), 2:02:13 (5th in Downhill + 3rd in Slalom); 2. Petra Vlhova (SVK), 2:02.16 (8+2); 3. Mowinckel (NOR), 2:02.58 (3+6); 4. Siebenhofer (AUT), 2:02.62 (1+8); 5. Roni Remme (CAN), 2:02.26 (28+1); 6. Brignone (ITA), 2:03.52 (6+10); 7. Kasja Vickhoff Lie (NOR), 2:03.64 (15+5); 8. Franziska Gritsch (AUT), 2:03.82 (29+4). Also: 18. Merryweather (USA), 2:06.63 (10+21).

FREESTYLE & SNOWBOARD: Blunck & Laffont defend Freestyle World titles in Park City

By
Rich Perelman
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The Freestyle Halfpipe medalists in Park City, including winners Aaron Blunck (USA) and Kelly Sildaru (EST).

The final day of Freestyle events at the World Freestyle and Snowboard Championships in Utah produced four champions, including two defending their 2017 titles, a double gold medalist and a 16-year-old sensation from Estonia.

The women’s Halfpipe looked like it might be a replay of the 2018 Winter Games in Korea. Into the final were the gold and bronze medalists, Canada’s Cassie Sharpe and Brita Sigourney (USA). And both were brilliant right away, with Sharpe scoring a fabulous 94.40 in the first round to take a big lead, with Sigourney claiming an excellent score of 90.60. Those were scores that could stand up throughout the competition.

In fact, neither improved in the second round, but 16-year-old Kelly Sildaru moved into third with a good run at 88.00. She wasn’t able to compete in PyeongChang due to injury, but was a dangerous competitor and already a World Cup event winner.

In the final round, Sigourney, Sildaru and Sharpe were the last three in the order. Sigourney put down another strong run at 89.80, but inferior to her first-round score. Then came Sildaru and he run was near-perfect and spectacular, scoring 95.00 and putting her into the gold-medal position. Sharpe could not answer and aborted her run, giving Sildaru the gold.

“I still can’t believe it” said Sildaru “I wasn’t sure if I should go for a switch 1080, because I simply haven’t tried it before and I didn’t know if I was going to land it. I decided to save it for my last run and I did it. I’m shaking right now, because I’m so happy.”

One champion had been dethroned and then it was the men’s turn, with American Aaron Blunck trying to defend his 2017 World Championships crown against teammates David Wise and Alex Ferreira, who went 1-2 in Korea,

Wise and Ferreira were good, scoring 86.60 and 84.20, respectively, but this was one of the best competitions ever in the Halfpipe and those marks earned only seventh and eighth places. In the meantime, four men scored over 90.

Canada’s Noah Bowman, competing third in the order, got the party started with an excellent 90.00 in the first round, but he was surpassed three skies later by France’s Kevin Rolland, the 2017 bronze medalist in the Halfpipe. He rang up a 93.80 score to take the lead, and maybe the event. Blunck showed he wasn’t going to give anything away and rode into second at 91.80. Canada’s Simon d’Artois roared into third at 91.00 as the next-to-last rider in the first round.

D’Artois improved slightly in the second round to 91.40, but was still third. In the final round, Bowman rose up with a great run and was rewarded with a score of 91.60, moving him just ahead of d’Artois. Rolland fell off his run and opened the door for Blunck. He spun through four doubles in a row and wowed both the crowd and the judges for a 94.20 score and his second consecutive World Championship.

“I’m on cloud nine right now,” said Blunck afterwards, “The X-Games didn’t go my way so I just wanted to come here and redeem myself. We’ve got to ski quite a bit of powder beforehand and I really think that was a recipe for success. I was happy and I was having fun the whole time.

“The Park City crowd is always so good and it’s definitely one of the biggest events of the year. Everyone from Park City and Salt Lake comes out for this. They’re huge ski and snowboard fans.”

This was the seventh time that the Halfpipe has been held at the World Championships level and Blunck is the first to repeat a title.

The evening event was the Dual Moguls, with Canada’s superstar Mikael Kingsbury the men’s favorite and France’s Perrine Laffont trying to defend her 2017 title and move up from her bronze in Moguls.

Kingsbury was outstanding in the men’s event, winning his first three rounds decisively, while 2017 silver medalists Bradley Wilson of the U.S. eked out a first-round win, then sailed past defending champion Ikuma Horishima (JPN) and Japan’s Daichi Hara in the semis.

The final was tight, but Kingsbury managed an 87.62-84.69 win and a sweep of the Moguls golds in 2019. It’s his second Dual Moguls gold after 2015 and his fourth World Championships title.

Laffont eked out three wins in the eighth, quarter and semis and met American Jaelin Kauf, the 2017 bronze medalist in the final. Another tight match ended with Laffont scoring 84.74 to Kauf’s 82.59 and a second gold medal in Dual Moguls for the 20-year-old. She now has a total of four career World Championships medals.

The Freestyle and Snowboard Worlds finishes Sunday, with the Snowboard Slopestyle. Summaries:

FIS Freestyle Skiing World Championships
Park City, Utah (USA) ~ 1-10 February 2019
(Full results here)

Men’s Aerials (at Deer Valley)/ Super Final: 1. Maxim Burov (RUS), 130.09; 2. Oleksandr Abramenko (UKR), 126.24; 3. Noe Roth (SUI), 125.22; 4. Pavel Krotov (RUS), 107.24; 5. Stanislav Nikitin (RUS), 80.54; 6. Xindi Wang (CHN), 61.50.

Men’s Big Air (at Canyons Village): 1. Fabian Boesch (SUI), 186.00; 2. Henrik Harlaut (SWE), 184.00; 3. Alex Beaulieu-Marchand (CAN), 183.25; 4. Alex Hall (USA), 180.50; 5. Finn Bilous (NZL), 179.75; 6. Oliwer Magnusson (SWE), 171.00; 7. Jesper Tjader (SWE), 152.75; 8. Oystein Braaten (NOR), 109.00. Also: 10. Nick Goepper (USA), 43.00.

Men’s Halfpipe (at Park City): 1. Aaron Blunck (USA), 94.20; 2. Kevin Rolland (FRA), 93.80; 3. Noah Bowman (CAN), 91.60; 4. Simon D’Artois (CAN), 91.40; 5. Birk Ruud (NOR), 88.20; 6. Thomas Krief (FRA), 87.00; 7. David Wise (USA), 86.60; 8. Alex Ferreira (USA), 84.20. Also: 10. Taylor Seaton (USA), 82.80.

Men’s Moguls (at Deer Valley): 1. Mikael Kingsbury (CAN), 84.89; 2. Matt Graham (AUS), 81.94; 3. Daichi Hara (JPN), 81.66; 4. Ikuma Horishima (JPN), 81.30; 5. Benjamin Cavet (FRA), 81.02; 6. Philippe Marquis (CAN), 79.50.

Men’s Dual Moguls (at Deer Valley)/ Big Final: 1. Kingsbury (CAN); 2. Bradley Wilson (USA); Small Final: 3. Daichi Hara (JPN); 4. Walter Wallberg (SWE).

Men’s Ski Cross (at Solitude Mountain)/ Big Final: 1. Francois Place (FRA); 2. Brady Leman (CAN); 3. Kevin Drury (CAN); 4. Alex Fiva (SUI). Small Final: 5. Jean Frederic Chapuis (FRA); 6. Johannes Aujesky (AUT); 7. Viktor Andersson (SWE); 8. Filip Flisar (SLO).

Men’s Slopestyle (at Park City): 1. James Woods (GBR), 86.68; 2. Birk Ruud (NOR), 85.40; 3. Goepper (USA), 85.18; 4. Mac Forehand (USA), 83.30; 5. Henrik Harlaut (SWE), 82.70; 6. Colin Wili (SUI), 81.81; 7. McRae Williams (USA), 76.28; 8. Jonas Hunziker (SUI), 73.43.

Women’s Aerials (at DeerValley)/ Super Final: 1. Aliaksandra Ramanouskaya (BLR), 113.18; 2. Liubov Nikitina (RUS), 89.88; 3. Mengtao Xu (CHN), 89.88; 4. Laura Peel (AUS), 87.77; 5. Ashley Caldwell (USA), 58.81; 6. Sofia Alekseeva (RUS), 37.80.

Women’s Big Air (at Canyons Village): 1. Tess Ledeux (FRA), 184.75; 2. Julia Krass (USA), 173.75; 3. Isabel Atkin (GBR), 168.75; 4. Sarah Hoefflin (SUI), 167.75; 5. Silvia Bertagna (ITA), 122.25; 6. Anastasia Tatalina (RUS), 92.50; 7. Mathilde Gremaud (SUI), 77.75; 8. Maggie Voisin (USA), 41.75.

Women’s Halfpipe (at Park City): 1. Kelly Sildaru (EST), 95.00; 2. Cassie Sharpe (CAN), 94.40; 3. Brita Sigourney (USA), 90.60; 4. Rachael Karker (CAN), 85.20; 5. Fanghui Li (CHN), 80.20; 6. Maddie Bowman (USA), 77.00; 7. Elisabeth Gram (AUT), 74.80; 8. Kexin Zhang (CHN), 73.60.

Women’s Moguls (at Deer Valley): 1. Yulia Galysheva (KAZ), 79.14; 2. Jakara Anthony (AUS), 78.99; 3. Perrine Laffont (FRA), 78.70; 4. Anastasia Smirnova (RUS), 72.67; 5. Justine Dufour-Lapointe (CAN), 71.25; 6. Jaelin Kauf (USA), 66.41.

Women’s Dual Moguls (at Deer Valley)/ Big Final: 1. Laffont (FRA); 2. Kauf (USA); Small Final: 3. Tess Johnson (USA); 4. Yulia Galysheva (KAZ).

Women’s Ski Cross (at Solitude Mountain)/ Big Final: 1. Marielle Thompson (CAN); 2. Fanny Smith (SUI); 3. Alizee Baron (FRA); 4. Sanna Luedi (SUI); Small Final: 5. Kelsey Serwa (CAN); 6. Brittany Phelan (CAN); 7. Nikol Kucerova (CZE); 8. Mikayla Martin (CAN).

Women’s Slopestyle (at Park City): Canceled due to the weather.

Mixed Team Aerials (at Deer Valley): 1, Switzerland (Bouvard, Gygax, Roth), 303.08; 2. China (Xu, Sun, Wang), 297.82; 3. Russia (Nikitina, Nikitin, Burov), 296.74; 4. Belarus, 272.15; 5. Canada, 244.56; 6. United States (Ashley Caldwell, Chris Lillis, Jon Lillis), 227.18; 7. Australia, 218.29; 8. Kazakhstan, 178.00.

ATHLETICS: Kejelcha misses World Indoor Mile mark by 0.01 at Millrose Games

By
Rich Perelman
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Ethiopia's Yomif Kejelcha

Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades, but it was a thrilling try as Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha made a brilliant effort at breaking Moroccan Hicham El Guerrouj’s 1997 mile mark of 3:48.45 at the New York Road Runners Millrose Games at the Armory in New York.

He ran 3:48.46.

Kejelcha got a fast pace from American Rob Napolitano through four laps (809 m/885 y), with Kejelcha leading in 1:52.99, well within world-record pace. But as Kejelcha moved out on his own, his pace slowed in the third quarter. In a race of 9 m more than eight laps, he ran the first two laps (447 yards) in 56.25, then another 400 m in 56.75. But he was slower on the fifth and sixth laps, slowing to 57.96 and that cost him the record. He rallied in the final two laps to run 57.54, but it was just barely too slow.

Kejelcha ran all alone and that hurt him as well. Kenyan Edward Cheserek, admittedly not in top form, still ran a highly creditable 3:53.29 for second and Clayton Murphy finished in 3:53.30 for third (and no. 13 all-time U.S.). Kejelcha passed 1,500 m in a world-leading 3:33.17 as well (=6th performer all-time), with Clayton at 3:37.40 (no. 7 all-time U.S.).

As he streamed across the line, Kejelcha looked for the clock and then fell to the ground and shook his head in disbelief as he saw the final time posted and how close his record attempt had been.

That was the highlight, but was just one of six world-leading marks during the meet:

● Men’s 800 m: 1:43.98, Michael Saruni (KEN),
● Men’s 1,500 m: 3:33.17, Yomif Kejelcha (ETH)
● Men’s Mile: 3:48.46, Yomif Kejalcha (ETH)
● Men’s Shot Put: 22.33 m, Ryan Crouser (USA) (73-3 1/4)
● Women’s 800 m: 1:58.60, Ajee Wilson (USA)
● Women’s Mile: 4:19.98, Konstanze Klosterhalfen (GER)

The details:

World lead no. 1:
American Donavan Brazier had been threatening Johnny Gray’s 1992 American Record of 1:45.00 for two seasons and was determined to get it at Millrose.

The pace was hot at 50.41 through 400 m, but Brazier was being shadowed by Kenyan Michael Saruni, last season’s 800 m champ for UTEP, a 1:43.25 man. Brazier led into the final turn, but Saruni had more gas left at the finish and burst ahead on the straightaway to win in 1:43.98 to make him the second-fastest performer in history with the third-fastest race ever.

But Brazier did get Gray’s mark, finishing in 1:44.41 and moving to no. 5 on the all-time world list, with the eighth-fastest race ever. At 25 (Saruni) and 21 (Brazier), both have a lot more to show on the world stage later this year.

World lead no. 2:
The men’s shot was a showcase for 2016 Olympic champ Ryan Crouser. Healthy again, he put together a sensational series of 21.60 m (70-10 1/2), 21.34 m (70-0 1/4) and 21.51 m (70-7) to take complete control of the event, with Joe Kovacs (USA) next best at 20.40 m (66-11 1/4).

In the fourth round, Kovacs improved to 20.86 m (68-5 1/4) and Crouser responded with a fabulous 22.33 m (73-3 1/4), a lifetime best indoors, and the no. 4 throw in indoor history. It’s the longest throw indoor since Adam Nelson’s 21.40 m (73-6) back in 2008.

The final round in the shot was delayed because Jamaica’s Kemoy Campbell collapsed while leading the men’s 1,000 m just behind the ring at the end of the Armory. NBC’s Lewis Johnson reported that Campbell was unconscious, but was revived and was shown being carried out of the building by paramedics.

The final round of the shot was held, but without improvements. Crouser reached 21.39 m (70-2 1/4), so all of his throws were beyond 70 feet. Very, very impressive.

World lead no. 3:
In the women’s mile, Germany’s Konstanze Klosterhalfen ran away from the field after halfway and rambled to a brilliant win in 4:19.98, fastest in the world for 2019. It’s German indoor record and moves her to no. 5 all-time. At 21, she is clearly a rising star.

Even though not in contention to win, Americans Colleen Quigley and Kate Grace ran very well, finishing 2-3 in 4:22.86 and 4:24.27. That moves Quigley to no. 4 on the all-time U.S. list, just ahead of Grace’s 4:22.96 from 2017.

World lead no. 4:
American 800 m star Ajee Wilson had targeted the American Record in this race and she got it. She stayed close to pacemaker Kendra Chambers (USA) through 400 m in 57.19 and was set up to take the lead and push the pace. She led the remainder of the way and held off Jamaica’s Natoya Goule to finish in 1:58.60, eclipsing Nicole Teter’s 1:58.71 mark from 2002. Goule was second in a Jamaican record of 1:59.13 and American Ce’Aira Brown (USA), 1:59.74 (no. 10 all-time U.S.).

Kejelcha provided the other two world leaders, but there were plenty of other highlights:

● The men’s 3,000 m saw lifetime bests from the first eight finishers, led by former Stanford star Grant Fisher in the no. 2 time in the world, 7:42.62 He was followed by the nos. 3-4 times in the world this season, by Morgan McDonald (AUS: 7:42.76) and Amon Kemboi (KEN: 7:44.77).

● American English Gardner returned to competition after her second leg injury that eliminated most of her 2018 season with a flourish. She was a clear winning in the women’s 60 m, running an indoor personal best of 7.10, the second-fastest time in the world this season. Only Poland’s Ewa Swoboda, at 7.08, has been faster. That’s a good sign for Gardner later this season.

Also worth noting was an interesting win for John Teeters, a 10.00 100 m man from Oklahoma State in the men’s 60 m, where he finished a full 0.10 ahead of Ameer Webb, 6.56-6.66. Summaries:

NYRR Millrose Games
New York, New York (USA) ~ 9 February 2019
(Full results here)

Men

60 m: 1. John Teeters (USA), 6.56; 2. Ameer Webb (USA), 6.66; 3. Tevin Hester (USA), 6.69.

400 m: Marcus Chambers (USA), 46.99; 2. Dontavius Wright (USA), 47.04; 3. Brycen Spratling (USA), 47.37.

800 m: 1. Michael Saruni (KEN), 1:43.98; 2. Donavan Brazier (USA), 1:44.41 (American Record; old, 1:45.00, Johnny Gray, 1992); 3. Sam Ellison (USA), 1:46.13.

Mile: 1. Yomif Kejelcha (ETH), 3:48.46; 2. Edward Cheserek (KEN), 3:53.29; 3. Clayton Murphy (USA), 3:53.30. (1,500 m en route: 1. Kejelcha, 3:33.17; 2. Murphy, 3:37.40; 3. Cheserek, 3:37.71).

3,000 m: 1. Grant Fisher (USA), 7:42.62; 2. Morgan McDonald (AUS), 7:42.76; 3. Amon Kemboi (KEN), 7:44.77.

60 m Hurdles: 1. Devon Allen (USA), 7.61; 2. Freddie Crittenden (USA), 7.61; 3. Chad Zallow (USA), 7.69.

Shot Put: 1. Ryan Crouser (USA), 22.33 m (73-3 1/4); 2. Joe Kovacs (USA), 20.86 m (68-5 1/4); 3. Ashinia Miller (JAM), 20.54 m (67-4 3/4).

Women

60 m: 1. English Gardner (USA), 7.10; 2. Michelle-Lee Ayhe (TTO), 7.15; 3. Javianne Oliver (USA), 7.19.

400 m: 1. Jaide Stepter (USA), 53.25; 2. Phil Healy (IRL), 53.72; 3. Brittany Brown (USA), 53.76.

800 m: 1. Ajee Wilson (USA), 1:58.60 (American Record; old, 1:58.71, Nicole Teter, 2002); 2. Natoya Goule (JAM), 1:59.13; 3. Ce’Aira Brown (USA), 1:59.74.

Mile: 1. Konstanze Klosterhalfen (GER), 4:19.98; 2. Colleen Quigley (USA), 4:22.86; 3. Kate Grace (USA), 4:24.27 (1,500 m en route: 1. Klosterhalfen, 4:02.70; 2. Quigley, 4:06.16; 3. Grace, 4:06.55).

3,000 m: 1. Alicia Monson (USA), 8:45.97; 2. Rachel Schneider (USA), 8:46.44; 3. Jessica O’Connell (CAN), 8:46.50.

60 m Hurdles: 1. Sharika Nelvis (USA), 8.01; 2. Toni Amusan (NGR), 8.03; 3. Isabelle Pedersen (NOR), 8.24.

High Jump: 1. Vashti Cunningham (USA), 1.95 m (6-4 3/4); 2. Priscilla Frederick (ANT), 1.88 m (6-2); 3. Levern Spencer (LCA), 1.88 m (6-2).

There were also two world-leading marks at the Tyson Invitational in Fayetteville, Arkansas on Saturday, as Florida super star Grant Holloway won the 60 m hurdles in 7.43, and former Arkansas star Andrew Irwin cleared 5.88 m (19-3 1/2) to take the world lead in the pole vault.

ALPINE SKIING: Norway’s Jansrud and Svindal exchange places in men’s Downhill

By
Rich Perelman
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Norway's World Champion Kjetil Jansrud

At the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang (KOR), the men’s Downhill saw Norway’s Aksel Lund Svindal and Kjetil Jansrud claim the gold and silver medals.

They reversed that order on Saturday morning in Are (SWE), with Jansrud winning his first World Championship gold.

The conditions weren’t the best, with a hard snowfall on the course and the event delayed for a few hours. But when the skiing started, the results were strong. Of the expected medal contenders, Austria’s Matthias Mayer took the lead in the fifth position with a 1:20.63 time.

But Jansrud was next and skied aggressively, coming to the line hard, and was rewarded with a stunning 1:19.98 time that was clearly going to be hard to beat. Svindal, the World Champion in this event in 2007 and 2013, was just as fast and skied all out as he had previously announced that he would retire after this race.

He crossed the line in 1:20:00, just .02 behind his teammate and leaving very little room for the rest of the challengers. Starting 13th, Super-G winner Dominik Paris (ITA) finished in 1:20.72 and ended up sixth. Defending champion Beat Feuz (SUI) started 15th and skied well, but his 1:20.42 left him only third. He dropped to fourth as Vincent Kriechmayr (AUT), who tied for second in the Super-G, claimed the bronze medal at 1:20.31. None of the following skiers could do better than 11th place.

Norway has not been a factor until recently in the Downhill. Jansrud’s win in the third World Championship in the event in the last seven editions and broke a streak of two straight wins by Swiss skiers. Jansrud, 33, now has three World Championships medals, with one each in the Downhill, Super-G (2017 silver) and Combined (2015 silver).

For the retiring Svindal, he leaves – at age 36 – as one of the great speed skiers in history. He won four Olympic medals (two gold), seven World Championships medals (five gold), two overall World Cup titles (2007-09), won 36 World Cup races and 80 World Cup medals. He is no. 2 all-time in World Cup Super-G victories with 17.

Kriechmayr, 27, is having a fine Worlds with two medals and leads the World Cup Super-G standings; he’s having a career year as well.

The U.S. has a good showing in the Downhill, with Bryce Bennett tying for ninth and Ryan Cochran-Siegle finishing 12th.

The Worlds continue with the Women’s Downhill on Sunday. Look for results here. Summaries:

FIS Alpine World Championships
Are (SWE) ~ 5-17 February 2019
(Full results here)

Men’s Downhill: 1. Kjetil Jansrud (NOR), 1:19.98; 2. Aksel Lund Svindal (NOR), 1:20.00; 3. Vincent Kriechmayr (AUT), 1:20.31; 4. Beat Feuz (SUI), 1:20.42; 5. Matthias Mayer (AUT), 1:20.63; 6. Dominik Paris (ITA), 1:20.72; 7. Benjamin Thomsen (CAN), 1:20.73; 8. Aleksander Aamodt Kilde (NOR), 1:20.80. Also: 9 (tie). Bryce Bennett (USA), 1:20.81; … 12. Ryan Cochran-Siegle (USA), 1:21.00; … 23. Steven Nyman (USA), 1:21.55; … 26. Travis Ganong (USA), 1:21.63.

Men’s Super-G: 1. Paris (ITA), 1:24.20; 2. tie, Johan Clarey (FRA) and Kriechmayr (AUT), 1:24.29; 4. Christof Innerhofer (ITA), 1:24.55; 5. Adrien Theaux (FRA), 1:24.57; 6. Josef Ferstl (GER), 1:24.59; 7. Brice Roger (FRA), 1:24.61; 8. tie, Mattia Casse (ITA), Nyman (USA) and Adrian Sejersted (NOR), 1:24.70. Also in the top 25: 11. Cochran-Siegle (USA), 1:24.73; … 23. Bennett (USA), 1:25.82.

Women’s Super-G: 1. Mikaela Shiffrin (USA), 1:04.89; 2. Sofia Goggia (ITA), 1:04.91; 3. Corinne Suter (SUI), 1:04.94; 4. Viktor Rebensburg (GER), 1:04.96; 5. Nadia Fanchini (ITA), 1:05.03; 6. Ragnhild Mowinckel (NOR), 1:05.05; 7. Francesca Marsaglia (ITA), 1:05.13; 8. Ilka Stuhec (SLO), 1:05.15; 9. Lara Gut-Behrami (SUI), 1:05.37; 10. Federica Brignone (ITA), 1:05.43. Also in the top 25: 22. Alice Merryweather (USA), 1:07.22.

Women’s Combined: 1. Wendy Holdener (SUI), 2:02:13 (5th in Downhill + 3rd in Slalom); 2. Petra Vlhova (SVK), 2:02.16 (8+2); 3. Mowinckel (NOR), 2:02.58 (3+6); 4. Ramona Siebenhofer (AUT), 2:02.62 (1+8); 5. Roni Remme (CAN), 2:02.26 (28+1); 6. Brignone (ITA), 2:03.52 (6+10); 7. Kasja Vickhoff Lie (NOR), 2:03.64 (15+5); 8. Franziska Gritsch (AUT), 2:03.82 (29+4). Also: 18. Merryweather (USA), 2:06.63 (10+21).

FREESTYLE & SNOWBOARD: Kingsbury retains his crown as Moguls King

By
Rich Perelman
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When the subject is Freestyle Moguls, the first question to ask is always about Canada’s Mikael Kingsbury.

The best Moguls skier of all time, Kingsbury has won world titles in 2013 (Moguls) and 2015 (Dual Moguls) and the Olympic gold medal in PyeongChang. He came into the 2019 Worlds, however, having been third in Sierra Nevada (ESP) in 2017. And he was returning to Deer Valley, where he won “only” bronze (Moguls) and silver (Dual Moguls) back at the 2011 Worlds.

No worries. Kingsbury has been at the top of his game all season, winning five of the first six Moguls events during the World Cup season. At the World Championships in Deer Valley on Friday night, he had the top score in qualifying (81.29), the top score in the first final (83.60) and then scored 84.89 in the medal-final to grab his third world crown, and he’s still just 26.

There was a lively fight for second, with Australia’s Matt Graham winning the silver, with places 2-5 separated by only 0.92 for Graham (81.94), Daichi Hara (JPN: 81.66), defending champion Ikuma Horishima (JPN: 81.30) and Benjamin Cavet (FRA); 81.02).

Kingsbury had the highest base score and the highest or equal-highest degree of difficulty on his jumps to aid him in victory.

The women’s Moguls event was far less predictable, as the five events on this season’s World Cup tour had been won by four different skiers, with only France’s Perrine Laffont a double victor (and the 2018 Olympic gold medalist).

Australia’s Jakara Anthony and Laffont were 1-2 (75.80-75.11) in the qualifying, then the same pair led the first final, 79.58-78.31.

In the medal-final, however, it was Yulia Galysheva of Kazakhstan who got off a strong run that scored 79.14 from the third position and put the pressure on the final three. American Jaelin Kauf, the Dual Moguls bronze medalist from 2017, could score only 66.41 and finished sixth. Laffont responded strongly and posted a 78.70 score to move into second with only Anthony remaining.

Anthony had a better base score than Galysheva – 51.90 to 49.40 – but was not as good in the air, losing that segment by 15.24-12.52 as her degree of difficulty was not as high as the Kazazh and that was the difference as Galysheva survived as the gold medalist by 79.14-78.99.

It was her first World Championship gold and third career Worlds medal, after bronze (2015) and silver (2017) in the Dual Moguls. It was Anthony’s first career Worlds medal of any kind and third for Laffont, who repeated her silver-medal finish in Moguls from 2017.

The Freestyle and Snowboard Worlds continues through the 10th, with the Dual Moguls and Halfpipe scheduled for Saturday. The broadcast schedule is here. Look for results here. Summaries:

FIS Freestyle Skiing World Championships
Park City, Utah (USA) ~ 1-10 February 2019
(Full results here)

Men’s Aerials (at Deer Valley)/ Super Final: 1. Maxim Burov (RUS), 130.09; 2. Oleksandr Abramenko (UKR), 126.24; 3. Noe Roth (SUI), 125.22; 4. Pavel Krotov (RUS), 107.24; 5. Stanislav Nikitin (RUS), 80.54; 6. Xindi Wang (CHN), 61.50.

Men’s Big Air (at Canyons Village): 1. Fabian Boesch (SUI), 186.00; 2. Henrik Harlaut (SWE), 184.00; 3. Alex Beaulieu-Marchand (CAN), 183.25; 4. Alex Hall (USA), 180.50; 5. Finn Bilous (NZL), 179.75; 6. Oliwer Magnusson (SWE), 171.00; 7. Jesper Tjader (SWE), 152.75; 8. Oystein Braaten (NOR), 109.00. Also: 10. Nick Goepper (USA), 43.00.

Men’s Moguls (at Deer Valley): 1. Mikael Kingsbury (CAN), 84.89; 2. Matt Graham (AUS), 81.94; 3. Daichi Hara (JPN), 81.66; 4. Ikuma Horishima (JPN), 81.30; 5. Benjamin Cavet (FRA), 81.02; 6. Philippe Marquis (CAN), 79.50.

Men’s Ski Cross (at Solitude Mountain)/ Big Final: 1. Francois Place (FRA); 2. Brady Leman (CAN); 3. Kevin Drury (CAN); 4. Alex Fiva (SUI). Small Final: 5. Jean Frederic Chapuis (FRA); 6. Johannes Aujesky (AUT); 7. Viktor Andersson (SWE); 8. Filip Flisar (SLO).

Men’s Slopestyle (at Park City): 1. James Woods (GBR), 86.68; 2. Birk Ruud (NOR), 85.40; 3. Goepper (USA), 85.18; 4. Mac Forehand (USA), 83.30; 5. Henrik Harlaut (SWE), 82.70; 6. Colin Wili (SUI), 81.81; 7. McRae Williams (USA), 76.28; 8. Jonas Hunziker (SUI), 73.43.

Women’s Aerials (at DeerValley)/ Super Final: 1. Aliaksandra Ramanouskaya (BLR), 113.18; 2. Liubov Nikitina (RUS), 89.88; 3. Mengtao Xu (CHN), 89.88; 4. Laura Peel (AUS), 87.77; 5. Ashley Caldwell (USA), 58.81; 6. Sofia Alekseeva (RUS), 37.80.

Women’s Big Air (at Canyons Village): 1. Tess Ledeux (FRA), 184.75; 2. Julia Krass (USA), 173.75; 3. Isabel Atkin (GBR), 168.75; 4. Sarah Hoefflin (SUI), 167.75; 5. Silvia Bertagna (ITA), 122.25; 6. Anastasia Tatalina (RUS), 92.50; 7. Mathilde Gremaud (SUI), 77.75; 8. Maggie Voisin (USA), 41.75.

Women’s Moguls (at Deer Valley): 1. Yulia Galysheva (KAZ), 79.14; 2. Jakara Anthony (AUS), 78.99; 3. Perrine Laffont (FRA), 78.70; 4. Anastasia Smirnova (RUS), 72.67; 5. Justine Dufour-Lapointe (CAN), 71.25; 6. Jaelin Kauf (USA), 66.41.

Women’s Ski Cross (at Solitude Mountain)/ Big Final: 1. Marielle Thompson (CAN); 2. Fanny Smith (SUI); 3. Alizee Baron (FRA); 4. Sanna Luedi (SUI); Small Final: 5. Kelsey Serwa (CAN); 6. Brittany Phelan (CAN); 7. Nikol Kucerova (CZE); 8. Mikayla Martin (CAN).

Women’s Slopestyle (at Park City): Canceled due to the weather.

Mixed Team Aerials (at Deer Valley): 1, Switzerland (Bouvard, Gygax, Roth), 303.08; 2. China (Xu, Sun, Wang), 297.82; 3. Russia (Nikitina, Nikitin, Burov), 296.74; 4. Belarus, 272.15; 5. Canada, 244.56; 6. United States (Ashley Caldwell, Chris Lillis, Jon Lillis), 227.18; 7. Australia, 218.29; 8. Kazakhstan, 178.00.

CURLING Preview: 18 teams meet in U.S. Curling Nationals in Kalamazoo

By
Rich Perelman
-

The gold medal in the 2018 Olympic Winter Games was great But 2019 is a new year, and the USA Curling National Championships start Saturday at the Wings Event Center in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

A total of 10 men’s teams and eight women’s teams will vie to be in the top four (men) or top three for the women, to advance to the playoffs. The top entries include (listed by skips):

Men:
John Shuster ~ 2018 Olympic gold medalists; national champ 2003-05-06-09-15-17
Rich Ruohonen ~ U.S. national champion 2008 and 2018
Todd Birr ~ U.S. national champion 2007

Women:
Jamie Sinclair ~ U.S. national champion 2017-18
Nina Roth ~ U.S. national champion 2010-14; 2018 U.S. Olympic Trials winner
Cory Christensen ~ 2018 U.S. national runner-up

Shuster’s rink returns three of the four players from its PyeongChang squad, including Matt Hamilton and John Landsteiner.

Round-robin play will continue through next Thursday with playoffs beginning on Friday (15th) and the finals on Saturday (16th).

Look for results here.

ATHLETICS: World leads for Sidorova and Rojas and American Record for Franklin in Madrid

By
Rich Perelman
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2017 World Triple Jump champion Yulimar Rojas (VEN) (Photo: catholympique via Wikipedia Commons)

The field events had the fireworks at the IAAF Indoor World Series meet in Madrid on Friday, especially in the women’s vault and triple jump.

Russian Anzhelika Sidorova cleared 4.91 m (16-1 1/4), a lifetime best indoors or out, on her third try at the height. That mark is not only a world leader for 2019, but ties her for no. 4 all-time in the women’s indoor vault, with the equal-no. 10 performance.

Only Jenn Suhr (USA: 5.03 m/16-6), Yelena Isinbaeva (RUS: 5.01 m/16-5 1/4) and Sandi Morris (USA: 4.95 m/16-2 3/4) have ever jumped higher. American Katie Nageotte also cleared 4.91 m, last season.

In the triple jump, Venezuela’s Yulimar Rojas roared back to form after injuries ended her 2018 season following a win in the World Indoor Championships. She exploded to 14.92 m (48-11 1/2) on her first jump and effectively ended the competition. She moved to 11th on the all-time performers list and the mark is the longest indoor triple jump since 2010!

American Tori Franklin wasn’t going to beat Rojas, but she also had big jump in the second round, out to 14.57 m (47-9 3/4), which surpassed Keturah Orji’s American Record of 14.53 m (47-8) from January of 2018. As if to show that wasn’t a fluke, she also jumped 14.48 m (47-6 1/4) in the fifth round. Franklin now holds both the U.S. indoor and outdoor records.

The U.S. had a pretty good night, as Michael Rodgers won the men’s 60 m in 6.57, Nathan Strother won the 400 m in 46.21 and Jarret Eaton won the 60 m Hurdles in 7.56, beating Spain’s Orlando Ortega by 1/100th.

In the featured men’s field event, Germany’s two-time World Champion David Storl defeated Poland’s Konrad Bukowiecki and Michal Haratyk, reaching 21.01 m (68-11 1/4) to Bukowicki’s 20.66 m (67-9 1/2). However, Polish power prevailed in the women’s 60 m, as Ewa Swoboda remained undefeated in this indoor season with a 7.11-7.18 win over Dutch star Dafne Schippers. Summaries:

IAAF Indoor World Series
Madrid (ESP) ~ 8 February 2019
(Full results here)

Men

60 m: 1. Michael Rodgers (USA), 6.57; 2. Jan Volko (SVK), 6.58; 3. Brandon Carnes (USA); 6.61. Also: 4. Bryce Robinson (USA), 6.61.

400 m/Race 1: 1. Nathan Strother (USA), 46.21; 2. Luka Janezic (SLO), 46.55; 3. Oscar Husillos (ESP), 46.71. Race 2: 1. Raidel Acea (CUB), 46.74; 2. Kennedy Luchembe (ZAM), 46.92; 3. Karol Zalewski (POL), 46.99.

800 m: 1. Cornelius Tuwei (KEN), 1:47.76; 2. Matreusz Borkowski (POL), 1:48.00; 3. Kevin Lopez (ESP), 1:48.02.

1,500 m: 1. Bethwell Birgen (KEN), 3:40.17; 2. Jesus Gomez (ESP), 3:40.59; 3. Adel Mechaal (ESP), 3:41.82.

60 m Hurdles: 1. Jarret Eaton (USA), 7.56; 2. Orlando Ortega (ESP), 7.57; 3. Milan Trajkovic (CYP), 7.57. Also: 4. Aaron Mallett (USA), 7.70.

Long Jump: 1. Miltiadis Tentoglou (GRE), 8.23 m (27-0); 2. Lamont Jacobs (ITA), 8.05 m (26-5); 3. Emiliano Lasa (URU), 7.98 m (26-2 1/4).

Shot Put: 1. David Storl (GER), 21.01 m (68-11 1/4); 2. Konrad Bukowiecki (POL), 20.66 m (67-9 1/2); 3. Michal Haratyk (POL), 19.98 m (65-6 3/4).

Women

60 m: 1. Ewa Swoboda (POL), 7.11; 2. Dafne Schippers (NED), 7.18; 3. Jamile Samuel (NED), 7.26.

1,500 m: 1. Sofia Ennaoui (POL), 4:08.31; 2. Ciara Mageen (IRL), 4:10.12; 3. Lemlem Hailu (ETH), 4:11.16.

3,000 m: 1. Alemaz Samuel (ETH), 8:43.76; 2. Claudia Bobocea (ROU), 8:47.59; 3. Maureen Koster (NED), 8:48.85.

Pole Vault: 1. Anzhelika Sidorova (RUS), 4.91 m (16-1 1/4); 2. Nikoleta Kiriakopoulou (GRE), 4.74 m (15-6 1/2); 3. Alysha Newman (CAN), 4.56 m (14-11 1/2).

Triple Jump: 1. Yulimar Rojas (VEN), 14.92 m (48-11 1/2); 2. Tori Franklin (USA), 14.57 m (47-9 3/4; American Indoor Record; old, 14.53 m (47-8), Keturah Orji, 2018); 3. Patricia Mamona (POR), 14.44 m (47-4 1/2).

SNOWBOARD: Scotty James wins third World Halfpipe title and Chloe Kim gets her first

By
Rich Perelman
-
World Halfpipe Champions Scotty James (AUS) and Chloe Kim (USA) (Photo: Sarah Brunsson/USSA)

The Snowboard Halfpipe events were among the best at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games, with brilliant victories from Shaun White and Chloe Kim of the U.S. That made them among the host-hyped for the 2019 World Freestyle & Snowboard Championships in Utah, and they delivered.

Australia’s Scotty James defended his 2015 and 2017 titles with two runs better than anyone else in the field and Kim won her first world title, with her first run of the final.

In the men’s final, James started in the no. 8 position, with likely challengers Patrick Burgener (SUI) and Yuko Totsuka (JPN) behind him. The first sevens runs were all lackluster, with the top score at just 79.00.

James tore through his first run with lots of power and ended up with changing the entire event with a sensational score of 94.25 and put the pressure on everyone else.

Totsuka did well, at 85.50 for second and then Burgener settled into third at 84.75. American Toby Miller scored 90.00 on his second trial, moving into second and signaling to Totsuka and Burgener that they had work to do. James aborted his second run, but Totsuka responded better with a 92.25 score and Burgener scored 91.25 to move back into third.

On the final runs, Miller scored only 48.00 as his run went awry, so the medal winners appeared to be set. By the time James got ready to go again, he was assured of a medal, and likely the gold again, but he was ready for a supreme effort.

And his run was sensational, earning a 99 and three 98s on the way to a 97.50 score that appeared to assure him of his third consecutive world title. Both Totsuka and Burgener’s runs were off-line, so James went to the top of the podium again. At 24, he has more Worlds in front of him, and he stepped up from the bronze he won in PyeongChang last season.

“I had two very, very fierce competitors behind me, and I knew they would be coming down and throw some good runs,” said James about his final run. “But for me also, I knew I could clean up my run a bit. I was happy with my first run, but my plan was to do it better, and I executed it. To win, I’m just over the moon about it. I haven’t really had time to think about it yet. I was pinching myself when I won my second world championships and I’m pinching myself again now that I’ve got three. I got to go out there and do wanted to do and I’m proud of that.”

Interestingly, his 97.50 score in 2019 equaled his score at the 2017 World Championships in Spain.

The women’s Halfpipe turned out to be more of a coronation than a competition. There were eight in the finals, with a quality field that had tons of World Cup, World Championships and Olympic experience. Kim went sixth and was looking to better the 84.00 from China’s Xuetong Cai, the two-time defending World Champion (just like James).

Game over. Kim ripped through her run with style and the only question was how big a lead she had forged. Scores of 95-94-93-93-93 ended up at 93.50 and the event was essentially over.

In fact, Cai and Kim both were unable to do better and no one else could reach the 80s in the second round. In the third, Spain’s Queralt Castellet popped into third place with a score of 81.00. But she was immediately replaced as the bronze medalist by American Maddie Mastro, with a score of 82.0 and that’s how it ended.

“I was really nervous,” said Kim. “Today was actually the first decent day we’ve had, so it was kinda crazy getting all my tricks back in this halfpipe. I landed my first run and I was stoked, and then my second run was kind of a set-up run to try the double. I really wish I was able to put (the double) down, but hopefully the next contest I can do it. But I’m super stoked to take home the win here at world championships. I love it here in Park City, and I’m proud of all the ladies’ riding today.”

Kim has now won the Olympic and World titles by margins of 8.50 and 9.50 points, respectively, at age 18. Mastro, also a 2018 Olympian, won her first World Championships medal, also at 18.

The final Snowboard Worlds event will be the Slopestyle, scheduled for Sunday (10th). Summaries:

FIS Snowboard World Championships
Park City, Utah (USA) ~ 1-10 February 2019
(Full results here)

Men’s Snowboard Cross (at Solitude Mountain)/ Big Final: 1. Mick Dierdorff (USA); 2. Hanno Douschan (AUT); 3. Emanuel Perathoner (ITA); 4. Lucas Eguibar (ESP). Small Final: 5. Jake Vedder (USA); 6. Baptiste Brochu (CAN); 7. Paul Berg (GER); 8. Leon Beckhaus (GER).

Women’s Snowboard Cross (at Solitude Mountain)/ Big Final: 1. Eva Samkova (CZE); 2. Charlotte Bankes (GBR); 3. Michela Moioli (ITA); 4. Francesca Gallina (ITA). Small Final: 5. Lindsey Jacobellis (USA); 6. Raffaella Bruto (ITA); 7. Chloe Trespeuch (FRA); 8. Carle Brenneman (CAN).

Mixed Snowboard Cross Team (at Solitude Mountain)/ Big Final: 1. Mick Dierdorff/Lindsey Jacobellis (USA); 2. Omar Visintin/Michaela Moioli (ITA); 3. Paul Berg/Hanna Ihedioha (GER); 4. Emanuel Perathoner/Francesca Gallina (ITA). Small Final: 5. Loan Bozzolo/Chloe Trespeuch (FRA); 6. Baptiste Brochu/Carle Brenneman (CAN); 7. Merlin Surget/Nelly Moenne Loccoz (FRA); 8. Kalle Koblet/Lara Casanova (SUI).

Men’s Parallel Giant Slalom/ Big Final: 1. Dmitry Loginov (RUS); 2. Tim Mastnak (SLO); Small Final: 3. Stefan Baumeister (GER); 4. Vic Wild (RUS).

Men’s Parallel Slalom/ Big Final: 1. Loginov (RUS); 2. Ronald Fischnaller (ITA); Small Final: 3. Baumeister (GER); 4. Dmitry Sarsembaev (RUS).

Women’s Parallel Giant Slalom/ Big Final: 1. Selina Joerg (GER); 2. Natalia Soboleva (RUS); Small Final: 3. Ladina Jenny (SUI); 4. Milena Bykova (RUS).

Women’s Parallel Slalom/ Big Final: 1. Julie Zogg (SUI); 2. Annamari Dancha (UKR); Small Final: 3. Ramona Hofmeister (GER); 4. Maria Valova (RUS).

Men’s Big Air (at Canyons Village): Cancelled due to bad weather.

Women’s Big Air (at Canyons Village): Cancelled due to bad weather.

Men’s Halfpipe: 1. Scotty James (AUS), 97.50; 2. Yuto Totsuka (JPN), 92.25; 3. Patrick Burgener (SUI), 91.25; 4. Toby Miller (USA), 90.00; 5. Kent Callister (AUS), 79.00; 6. Ikko Anai (JPN), 75.75; 7. Derek Livingston (CAN), 73.75; 8. Yiwei Zhang (CHN), 61.25.

Women’s Halfpipe: 1. Chloe Kim (USA), 93.50; 2. Xuetong Cai (CHN), 84.00; 3. Maddie Mastro (USA), 82.00; 4. Queralt Castellet (ESP), 81.00; 5. Arielle Gold (USA), 79.00; 6. Verena Rohrer (SUI), 75.00; 7. Kurumi Imai (JPN), 74.50; 8. Elizabeth Hosking (CAN), 60.25.

SPEED READ: Headlines from The Sports Examiner for Friday, 8 February 2019

By
Rich Perelman
-

Welcome to The Sports Examiner SPEED READ, a 100 mph (44.7 m/s) review of what happened over the last 96 hours in Olympic sport:

LANE ONE

Wednesday: What do International Federation review commissions do, anyway? In Biathlon, quite a lot. Faced with criminal investigations of its ex-President and Secretary General for possible bribery to cover up Russian doping positives, the IBU External Review Commission has taken an activist role, with specific actions designed to find out what is going on, recommend changes to make it doesn’t happen again, cooperation with the criminal authorities, its own interviews of witnesses and a lot more. This could be a blueprint for federations going forward.

Friday: The Olympic Games cannot solve the world’s problems, as Paris 2024 is finding out. French president Emmanuel Macron criticized his own government’s work on the 2024 Games for not “doing more” for the area which will get much of the Olympic construction work, including the Olympic Village. It showcases the folly of making a lot of promises that can’t be kept. Isn’t it better to under-promise and over-deliver? That’s hard in a time when humility seems to be a disappearing virtue.

THE BIG PICTURE

Thursday: Race walkers are desperate to save their place in the Olympic Games, and have proposed a massive change to their events to stay there. This includes giving up on the first walking event to be held in the Games … 87 years ago!

Friday: The International Paralympic Committee conditionally reinstated Russia on Friday, but with a laundry list of conditions. The IPC’s disclosure of its step-by-step reasoning, list of new requirements and transparency on the impact of Para-athletes on the decision, was a breath of fresh air. Hopefully, more will follow in this way; well done!

GLOBETROTTING by Phil Hersh

Monday: A celebration of American skiing star Lindsey Vonn, who won a lot and crashed a lot, but never gave up and will end her career at the Alpine World Championships with her head held high.

Thursday: It may be hard for fans of Japan’s double Olympic figure skating champion Yuzuru Hanyu to hear this, but – at his best – Nathan Chen may be just as good!

ALPINE SKIING

Tuesday: The World Alpine Championships opened in Sweden, with Mikaela Shiffrin speeding to victory in the women’s Super-G, while Lindsey Vonn missed a gate and was disqualified.

Wednesday: Dominik Paris (ITA) won the men’s Super-G, while Shiffrin decided not to compete in the Alpine Combined. She will try for wins in the Giant Slalom and Slalom; if successful, she would be the ninth woman to win three golds in a single Alpine Worlds!

Friday: Swiss Wendy Holdener defends her title in the women’s Alpine Combined. She wasn’t the fastest in either the Downhill or Slalom, but she was the most consistent and that’s what mattered.

ARCHERY

Wednesday: Preview of the world’s largest indoor archery tournament – the Vegas Shoot – which will also host the World Archery Indoor World Series Final. What will 14-year-old Casey Kaufhold do?

ATHLETICS

Wednesday: At the IAAF World Indoor Tour in Torun (POL), home favorite Ewa Swoboda upset Marie Josee Ta Lou (CIV) in the women’s 60 m and American Sam Kendricks won a duel with Poland’s Piotr Lisek to take the pole vault. Plus two world-leading marks!

Thursday: Preview of Saturday’s Millrose Games in New York, with a try for a world record in the men’s mile, starring Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha, who has already run 3:51.70 this season!

FIGURE SKATING

Tuesday: Preview of the Four Continents Championships in Anaheim, California, with American Ice Dancers Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue for their second Four Continents gold!

FREESTYLE SKIING & SNOWBOARD

Tuesday: A World Snowboard Championships Parallel events sweep for Russia’s Dmitry Loginov, but the weather cancels the Snowboard Big Air event in Utah.

Wednesday: Britain’s James Woods wins the Freestyle Slopestyle title at the World Championships in Utah, with American Nick Goepper claiming the bronze. Mac Forehand of the U.S. got fourth, even though he broke his skis in training … his Mom came to the rescue!

Thursday: The Swiss team wins the first Freestyle Mixed Team Aerials event at the World Championships, this time in Deer Valley in Utah.

SPEED SKATING

Wednesday: Brittany Bowe goes for two titles in the World Single-Distance Championships in Inzell (GER), but will have stiff competition, especially from Japan’s Nao Kodaira!

UPCOMING

Highlights of the coming week, with full coverage on TheSportsExaminer.com:

● Alpine Skiing: The World Championships continue in Are, Sweden.

● Athletics: The Muller Grand Prix indoor meet in Birmingham, Great Britain.

● Ice Hockey: Old rivals meet: the U.S. and Canadian women’s teams, in three games.

Many more previews for this weekend’s action are available, here on TheSportsExaminer.com.

ALPINE SKIING: Consistent Holdener wins women’s Alpine Combined

By
Rich Perelman
-
Swiss World Champion Wendy Holdener (Photo: Roland Osbeck via Wikipedia Commons)

The Alpine Combined is the least-appreciated and least-held event on the Alpine World Cup calendar, but it is still part of the Alpine World Championships. Friday’s competition showcased that winning this event requires consistency more than anything else.

Swiss Wendy Holdener, the 2017 World Combined Champion, repeated her victory with two quality runs. She finished fifth in the Downhill run, an event in which she has never won a World Cup medal. The leader was Ramona Siebenhofer, an excellent speed racer, but not a strong technical skier.

When the Slalom came, Holdener – an excellent technical skier – was ready to pounce, and produced the third-fastest run of the session, which was enough to put her in first place. She edged ahead of Slovakia’s Petra Vlhova, who had the eighth-fastest Downhill, but turned in the second-fastest Slalom, and ended up with the silver medal.

Holdener still had to wait for Norway’s Ragnhild Mowinckel to go, and after the third-fastest Downhill, she had a real chance to win. But her Slalom was “only” the sixth-fastest of the day and she had to settle for the bronze medal.

The fastest Slalom belonged to unheralded Canadian Roni Remme and that moved her up from 28th after the Downhill to fifth overall. Siebenhofer finished fourth and had a very creditable Slalom – eighth-fastest – but not enough to medal.

It’s Holdener’s fourth career World Championships medal, and she will be a contender in the Slalom as well. It was the first Worlds medal for Mowinckel and the second for Vlhova.

American Lindsey Vonn had skipped the Downhill training after her crash in the Super-G, but cleverly jumped into the Combined and just skied the Downill, finishing eighth.

The Worlds continue with the Men’s Downhill on Saturday. Look for results here. Summaries:

FIS Alpine World Championships
Are (SWE) ~ 5-17 February 2019
(Full results here)

Men’s Super-G: 1. Dominik Paris (ITA), 1:24.20; 2. tie, Johan Clarey (FRA) and Vincent Kriechmayr (AUT), 1:24.29; 4. Christof Innerhofer (ITA), 1:24.55; 5. Adrien Theaux (FRA), 1:24.57; 6. Josef Ferstl (GER), 1:24.59; 7. Brice Roger (FRA), 1:24.61; 8. tie, Mattia Casse (ITA), Steven Nyman (USA) and Adrian Sejersted (NOR), 1:24.70. Also in the top 25: 11. Ryan Cochran-Siegle (USA), 1:24.73; … 23. Bryce Bennett (USA), 1:25.82.

Women’s Super-G: 1. Mikaela Shiffrin (USA), 1:04.89; 2. Sofia Goggia (ITA), 1:04.91; 3. Corinne Suter (SUI), 1:04.94; 4. Viktor Rebensburg (GER), 1:04.96; 5. Nadia Fanchini (ITA), 1:05.03; 6. Ragnhild Mowinckel (NOR), 1:05.05; 7. Francesca Marsaglia (ITA), 1:05.13; 8. Ilka Stuhec (SLO), 1:05.15; 9. Lara Gut-Behrami (SUI), 1:05.37; 10. Federica Brignone (ITA), 1:05.43. Also in the top 25: 22. Alice Merryweather (USA), 1:07.22.

Women’s Combined: 1. Wendy Holdener (SUI), 2:02:13 (5th in Downhill + 3rd in Slalom); 2. Petra Vlhova (SVK), 2:02.16 (8+2); 3. Mowinckel (NOR), 2:02.58 (3+6); 4. Ramona Siebenhofer (AUT), 2:02.62 (1+8); 5. Roni Remme (CAN), 2:02.26 (28+1); 6. Brignone (ITA), 2:03.52 (6+10); 7. Kasja Vickhoff Lie (NOR), 2:03.64 (15+5); 8. Franziska Gritsch (AUT), 2:03.82 (29+4). Also: 18. Merryweather (USA), 2:06.63 (10+21).

THE BIG PICTURE: Int’l Paralympic Committee reinstates Russia, but with lot of conditions

By
Rich Perelman
-

Since the Russian doping scandal broke in 2015, the International Paralympic Committee has been much stronger in its dealings with its Russian National Paralympic Committee than the International Olympic Committee has been with the Russian Olympic Committee.

That continued today (8th), even as the IPC agreed to conditionally re-admit Russia after 29 months on suspension, by 15 March of this year. In a fairly clever set of moves, it continued to apply pressure on Russia even after readmission.

The IPC President, Andrew Parsons, said in a statement:

“In August 2016 the IPC suspended the RPC because it was necessary and proportionate to the situation we faced and essential to ensure clean sport.

“Twenty-nine months later it is the IPC Governing Board’s firm belief that keeping the RPC suspended is no longer necessary and proportionate to the situation we now face in Russia.

“During its suspension, the RPC has implemented 69 measures which provide the IPC with confidence that it is now a very different organisation to the one that it was prior to Rio 2016. Russian Para athletes are amongst, and will continue to be, the most tested athletes in the Paralympic Movement. Under the supervision of WADA, RUSADA has effectively been rebuilt from the ground up, is back testing and is conditionally reinstated by the global body responsible for it.

“With these factors in mind, maintaining the RPC’s suspension on the grounds of Russia’s continuing refusal to not accept the McLaren Report does not seem right. We need to move things forward and find a solution that protects the integrity of Para sport, acknowledges the significant reforms made by the RPC, and enables the RPC to comply with its membership obligations.”

So the Russians adopted 69 of the 70 requirements, but will not acknowledge the McLaren Reports that detailed the state-run doping program in the country from 2011-15. The IPC, therefore, is re-instating Russia with multiple added requirements, including added testing of Russian Para-athletes under supervision of the World Anti-Doping Agency, new anti-doping education programs, a whistle-blower hotline for reporting doping activities, barring any Russian government official from serving with the Russian Paralympic Committee and reimbursement of expenses to the IPC for the added supervision and testing efforts, and more. These conditions will continue through the end of 2022.

Parsons added:

“At our meeting the Board concluded that disappointingly Russia most probably will never accept the findings of the McLaren Report, bearing in mind it has not provided any proper response to it since its publication in July 2016.

“Therefore, the Board was faced with a fairly straight-forward question: should we dig our heels in and continue waiting for a very unlikely Russian response to the McLaren Report – a move that will keep the RPC suspended indefinitely and, as a result, Russian Para athletes ineligible to compete – or do we consider whether it is possible to find another way forward to enable the RPC to comply with its IPC membership obligations?

“The Board chose the latter and decided to lift the suspension under strict conditions.”

Moreover, Parsons noted that six of the 13 Governing Board members are Para-athletes, all of whom supported the decision.

The IPC’s decision is a master stroke in that it sets out crystal-clear reasoning for its decision, explicitly confirms its belief that doping in Russia is better controlled and sets out very clear and comprehensive conditions for remaining off suspension. It also requires a report from the RPC on how it is meeting these conditions every six months for the next three years.

Unlike the IOC, which simply embraced the Russian Olympic Committee after PyeongChang, the IPC has gone slow and has been much more transparent in its requirements and reasoning. Its decision, and especially its process, does not undermine the continuing efforts of the other groups which have Russia under a microscope, including the World Anti-Doping Agency, the IAAF and the International Biathlon Union.

LANE ONE: The Olympic Games cannot solve the world’s problems, as Paris 2024 is finding out

By
Rich Perelman
-
Signing of the May 2018 agreement where Paris 2024 pledged help vs. poverty and pollution. (Photo: Paris 2024)

There was a time when modesty and humility were prized, and the idea that if you made reasonable promises and over-delivered on those promises, the results would be widely viewed as positive.

Those concepts appear today to be as ancient as Egypt’s pyramids. Society in many countries appears divided along many lines and the social turmoil in France has reached out and touched the 2024 Olympic Games to be held in Paris.

French President Emmanuel Macron, elected in 2017, told an audience in the southern Paris community of Evry-Courcouronnes on Monday that, concerning the 2024 effort, “At the moment, we are not meeting the goals we should have for the parts of the Paris region that are most affected by this big event.”

He added that “It is clear that the region, and above all Seine-Saint-Denis because it will be most affected by several big new venues, is not getting a fair return. So we are going to work on it because for now, I’m not happy.”

He was referring to the northern Paris community of Seine-Saint Denis, in which much of the construction work is slated for the Games, including the Olympic Village and media housing, which will be used for housing after the Games.

It’s a remarkable set of comments, because the issues involved are controlled by the government he leads. Some of the leaders of the Seine-Saint-Denis area responded to this right away, as noted in a report from Agence France Presse:

“‘I think it’s a bit much for the president to come out with this. At the moment, it’s the state that is not taking care of things,’ said Clement Remond, the vice president of FSGT, which organises sports activities for people from all walks of life and who was attending an event to promote the Olympics through schools.

“Under Macron’s drive to reduce public spending, the government has cut grants for sports facilities in local areas and slashed the number of state-subsidised jobs, many linked to sports clubs.”

Macron is in the difficult position of responding to what has turned into the national “yellow vest” movement started last November to protest his government’s policies. The protests are apparently from those who did not vote for Macron in the first round of the 2017 Presidential elections, where he was the leading vote-getter at 24% of the total. Macron won the Presidency in a run-off vs. Marine Le Pen, where he was elected by 66-34%.

The Paris 2024 chief executive, former Olympic canoeing medalist Tony Estanguet, told AFP, “We will obviously be able to go further in helping people with a state that is highly motivated at our side.”

This is a real danger for the Paris 2024 organizers, because an Olympic organizing committee is not designed to be a social-service agency. Its job is to plan and stage an event of worldwide interest, whose size and complexity makes it incredibly difficult to organize efficiently, in both cost and time.

But this is old news to those who have watched the Olympic Movement over the decades. It is only those who do not know what happened before who are surprised.

In the run-up to the 1984 Games in Los Angeles, the organizing committee kept as low a profile as possible. The Olympic Games was not especially popular in the U.S., following Montreal’s billion-dollar deficit following the 1976 Games and the American boycott of the Moscow Games in 1980.

Organizing Committee chief Peter Ueberroth focused the public’s attention on the athletes. In speech after speech to groups of all sizes and interests, he emphasized the ambitions and sacrifices of athletes who would be coming to the Games from around the world and how important it was for Los Angeles and the United States to be good hosts. As for the organizing effort, he said – again and again – that the committee’s work was to be the “stage hands” who worked behind the scenes to make the event happen, and without government funding. And he asked for help, as volunteers, ticket buyers or just fans who watched at home.

His approach worked well and the Games were lauded for sensational performances such as Carl Lewis’s four gold medals, gymnastics star Mary Lou Retton and so on. That the LAOOC approach yielded a $232.5 million surplus and reshaped sports marketing and sports management into the future was a welcomed, added bonus.

But 12 years later, the head of the organizing committee in Atlanta, Billy Payne, proclaimed the 1996 Games would be the “greatest peace-time event in the 20th Century.” That Games was not, and while the competitions were historic, so were very public aspects of the Games that did not go as well as planned … and were widely noted.

So there were those who have experienced both of these events whose hearts sank when reading of a triumphant announcement in May 2018 of an agreement between the Paris 2024 organizing committee, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, the Yunnus Centre and the SAMU humanitarian social-services agency which assists the homeless. The headline was “Paris 2024 to sign partnership aiming to achieve zero poverty, unemployment and carbon emissions.”

Signed, of course, in Seine-Saint-Denis, the program is designed “to promote the integration of people facing difficulties, while creating jobs in large numbers for vulnerable members of the public. Efforts will also be made to promote social initiatives.”

Eliminate poverty, unemployment and carbon emissions? Paris 2024 has no chance to achieve this. It can help. It can employ some people, it can engage some people in the operations of the Games, but an organizing committee for 30 days of Olympic Games and Paralympic Games is not the government and can not be the linchpin of a wholesale change in France as a whole, or even Paris in particular.

This is an object lesson for future bidders and organizers of Olympic Games and other major events. They can be catalysts, they can introduce new energies into a city or region, but the Games are not a panacea for the economic and social problems of millions of people.

The Beijing 2022 Winter Games organizers have a specific and possibly achievable goal of using the Games to introduce winter sports participation to more of the Chinese public. The Los Angeles 2028 organizers have been busy with increasing participation in City youth programs, especially in swimming, and have otherwise said very little for now.

Maybe they learned something from Mr. Ueberroth. I learned a lot in my four years with the LAOOC. Others would benefit by learning from him too.

Rich Perelman
Editor

SHORT TRACK Preview: World Cup Final – and seasonal titles – beckons in Turin

By
Rich Perelman
-
China's Short Track star Dajing Wu

The final stop on the 2018-19 World Cup tour is in Turin (ITA), with the seasonal titles (and prize money) on the line. The current standings:

Men

● 500 m:
1. 30,000 Dajing Wu (CHN)
2. 22,400 Shaoang Liu (HUN)
3. 21,439 Hyo-Jun Lim (KOR)

● 1,000 m:
1. 29.745 Ji-Won Park (KOR)
2. 23,277 Shaoang Liu (HUN)
3. 20,715 Kyung-Hwan Hong (KOR)

● 1,500 m:
1. 28,000 Gun Woo Kim (KOR)
2. 22,515 June Seo Lee (KOR)
3. 19,821 Hyu-Jun Lim (KOR)

● 5,000 m Relay:
1. 29,677 Hungary
2. 26,397 Canada
3. 21,617 China

Women

● 500 m:
1. 37,920 Natalia Maliszewska (POL)
2. 26,665 Lara van Ruijnen (NED)
3. 21,313 Martina Valcepina (ITA)

● 1,000 m:
1. 40,000 Suzanne Schulting (NED)
2. 27,933 Sofia Prosvirnova (RUS)\
3. 20,240 Alyson Charles (CAN)

● 1,500 m:
1. 28,192 Min Jeong Choi (KOR)
2. 24,400 Suzanne Schulting (NED)
3. 21,277 Ji-Yoo Kim (KOR)

● 3,000 m Relay:
1. 32,400 Korea
2. 32.096 Russia
3. 28.240 Netherlands

The final World Cup standings will translate into prize money for the top 10 in each distance: $15,000-12,000-9,000-7,000-6,000-5,000-4,000-3,500-3,000-2,500. Look for results here.

NORDIC COMBINED Preview: With Riiber the champ, the fight is for second in Lahti

By
Rich Perelman
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World Nordic Combined Champion Johannes Rydzek (GER)

The 2018-19 Nordic Combined World Cup champion has been decided: Norway’s Jarl Magnus Riiber. With four events left, including the Gundersen 130 m hill and 10.0 km race in Lahti (FIN), he has an impregnable 497-point lead. But the fight for second is tight:

1. 1,258 Jarl Magnus Riiber (NOR) ~ 2018-19 World Cup Champion
2. 761 Johannes Rydzek (GER) ~ 2017 World Champion
3. 755 Franz-Josef Rehrl (AUT) ~ 2 wins and 5 total medals this season
4. 731 Vinzenz Geiger (GER) ~ 1 win and three total medals this season
5. 694 Akito Watabe (JPN) ~ 2017-18 World Cup Champion

This week’s events in Lahti will start with a Team Sprint off the 130 m hill and a 2×7.5 km race. The individual Gundersen race will be on Sunday.

Look for results here. This is the last World Cup before the action moves to the World Nordic Championships in Seefeld (AUT) beginning 20 February.

LUGE Preview: Two seasonal titles could be clinched this week in Oberhof

By
Rich Perelman
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Germany's luge star Johannes Ludwig (Photo: Sandro Halank via Wikipedia)

The eighth of nine stops on the FIL World Tour comes this weekend in Oberhof (GER), with competitions will be held in the standard races, plus a team relay. Thus far, none of the seasonal titles have been clinched, but that could change this weekend:

● Men’s Singles:
1. 543 Johannes Ludwig (GER)
2. 537 Felix Loch (GER)
3. 520 Reinhard Egge (AUT)

● Men’s Doubles:
1. 810 Toni Eggert/Sascha Benecken (GER)
2. 652 Thomas Steu/Lorenz Koller (AUT)
3. 598 Tobias Wendl/Tobias Arlt (GER)

● Women’s Singles:
1. 782 Natalie Geisenberger (GER)
2. 651 Julia Taubitz (GER)
3. 506 Summer Britcher (USA)

Loch really closed in on the last with his win last week in Altenberg, with Ludwig third and could take over the lead this week. Geisenberger and Eggert and Benecken have just about sewn up their seasonal titles, and could clinch this week.

There will be two races in all three classes in Sochi (RUS) to end the season, a standard race and a sprint. Look for results from Oberhof here.

JUDO Preview: Six no. 1-ranked judoka in the 2019 Paris Grand Slam

By
Rich Perelman
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A huge field of 609 judoka from 98 nations will gather at the AccorHotels Arena of Bercy for the annual Paris Grand Slam, the biggest event of 2019 so far, on Saturday and Sunday.

There are some excellent match-ups, notably with the no. 1-ranked and no. 2-ranked fighters in the men’s 66 kg, 81 kg, 90 kg and 100 kg divisions and the women’s 63 kg class. The top entries by seeding (and IJF World Ranking in parentheses):

Men

● -60 kg:
1. Naohisa Takato (JPN: 4)
2. Amartuvshin Dasvdavaa (MGL: 5)
3. Yeldos Smetov (KAZ: 6)

● –66 kg:
1. Hifumi Abe (JPN: 1)
2. Vazha Margvelashvili (GEO: 2)
3. Baruch Shmailov (ISR: 4)

● -73 kg:
1. Lasha Shavdatuashvili (GEO: 2)
2. Soichi Hashimoto (JPN: 3)
3. Tommy Macias (SWE: 5)

● -81 kg:
1. Saeid Mollaei (IRI: 1)
2. Frank de Wit (NED: 2)
3. Takeshi Sasaki (JPN: 3)

● -90 kg:
1. Nikoloz Sherazadishvili (ESP: 1)
2. Krisztian Toth (HUN: 2)
3. Ivan Felipe Silva Morales (CUB: 4)

● -100 kg:
1. Varlam Liparteliani (GEO: 1)
2. Michael Korrel (NED: 2)
3. Peter Paltchik (ISR: 3)

● +100 kg:
1. Lukas Krpalek (CZE: 2)
2. Kokoro Kageura (JPN: 6)
3. Tamerlan Bashaev (RUS: 7)

Women

● -48 kg:
1. Urantsetseg Munkhbat (MGL: 2)
2. Ami Kondo (JPN: 5)
3. Distria Krasniqi (KOS: 8)

● -52 kg:
1. Natsumi Tsunoda (JPN: 3)
2. Charline van Snick (BEL: 5)
3. Ai Shishime (JPN: 6)

● -57 kg:
1. Nora Gjakova (KOS: 2)
2. Jessica Klimkait (CAN: 5)
3. Theresa Stoll (GER: 6)

● -63 kg:
1. Clarisse Agbednenou (FRA: 1)
2. Tina Trstenjak (SLO: 2)
3. Nami Nabekura (JPN: 3)

● -70 kg:
1. Mahie Eve Gahie (FRA: 2)
2. Sanne van Dijke (NED: 3)
3. Saki Niizoe (JPN: 4)

● –78 kg:
1. Ruika Sato (JPN: 2)
2. Natalie Powell (GBR: 3)
3. Mami Umeki (JPN: 4)

● +78 kg:
1. Idalys Ortiz (CUB: 1)
2. Akira Sone (JPN: 4)
3. Iryna Kindzerska (AZE: 5)

Prize money of $5,000-3,000-1,500 will be available for the top three places. Look for results here.

FREESTYLE & SNOWBOARD: Consistent Swiss win inaugural Mixed Team Aerials

By
Rich Perelman
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Following the desire of the International Olympic Committee for mixed-gender events, the first Mixed Team Aerials event was held at the Freestyle Worlds in Deer Valley, Utah (USA) on Thursday night.

The winner turned out to be Switzerland, with Carol Bouvard, Nicolas Gygax and bronze medalist Noe Roth compiling 303.08 points. These weren’t the skiers with the biggest reputations, but they were the most consistent.

China, with Mengtao Xu starting off, was second (297.82) and Russia, with Aerials gold medalist Maxim Burov, took the bronze with 296.74 points. Interestingly, Gygax had the highest score among all of the men’s skiers at 121.68 (ahead of Burov’s 117.70); Russia’s Lyubov Nikitina had the highest women’s total at 85.68.

The Freestyle and Snowboard Worlds continues through the 10th, with the Freestyle Moguls and Snowboard Halfpipe – one of the premier events on the program – scheduled for Friday (8th). The broadcast schedule is here. Look for results here. Summaries:

FIS Freestyle Skiing World Championships
Park City, Utah (USA) ~ 1-10 February 2019
(Full results here)

Men’s Aerials (at Deer Valley)/ Super Final: 1. Maxim Burov (RUS), 130.09; 2. Oleksandr Abramenko (UKR), 126.24; 3. Noe Roth (SUI), 125.22; 4. Pavel Krotov (RUS), 107.24; 5. Stanislav Nikitin (RUS), 80.54; 6. Xindi Wang (CHN), 61.50.

Men’s Big Air (at Canyons Village): 1. Fabian Boesch (SUI), 186.00; 2. Henrik Harlaut (SWE), 184.00; 3. Alex Beaulieu-Marchand (CAN), 183.25; 4. Alex Hall (USA), 180.50; 5. Finn Bilous (NZL), 179.75; 6. Oliwer Magnusson (SWE), 171.00; 7. Jesper Tjader (SWE), 152.75; 8. Oystein Braaten (NOR), 109.00. Also: 10. Nick Goepper (USA), 43.00.

Men’s Ski Cross (at Solitude Mountain)/ Big Final: 1. Francois Place (FRA); 2. Brady Leman (CAN); 3. Kevin Drury (CAN); 4. Alex Fiva (SUI). Small Final: 5. Jean Frederic Chapuis (FRA); 6. Johannes Aujesky (AUT); 7. Viktor Andersson (SWE); 8. Filip Flisar (SLO).

Men’s Slopestyle (at Park City): 1. James Woods (GBR), 86.68; 2. Birk Ruud (NOR), 85.40; 3. Goepper (USA), 85.18; 4. Mac Forehand (USA), 83.30; 5. Henrik Harlaut (SWE), 82.70; 6. Colin Wili (SUI), 81.81; 7. McRae Williams (USA), 76.28; 8. Jonas Hunziker (SUI), 73.43.

Women’s Aerials (at DeerValley)/ Super Final: 1. Aliaksandra Ramanouskaya (BLR), 113.18; 2. Liubov Nikitina (RUS), 89.88; 3. Mengtao Xu (CHN), 89.88; 4. Laura Peel (AUS), 87.77; 5. Ashley Caldwell (USA), 58.81; 6. Sofia Alekseeva (RUS), 37.80.

Women’s Big Air (at Canyons Village): 1. Tess Ledeux (FRA), 184.75; 2. Julia Krass (USA), 173.75; 3. Isabel Atkin (GBR), 168.75; 4. Sarah Hoefflin (SUI), 167.75; 5. Silvia Bertagna (ITA), 122.25; 6. Anastasia Tatalina (RUS), 92.50; 7. Mathilde Gremaud (SUI), 77.75; 8. Maggie Voisin (USA), 41.75.

Women’s Ski Cross (at Solitude Mountain)/ Big Final: 1. Marielle Thompson (CAN); 2. Fanny Smith (SUI); 3. Alizee Baron (FRA); 4. Sanna Luedi (SUI); Small Final: 5. Kelsey Serwa (CAN); 6. Brittany Phelan (CAN); 7. Nikol Kucerova (CZE); 8. Mikayla Martin (CAN).

Women’s Slopestyle (at Park City): Canceled due to the weather.

Mixed Team Aerials (at Deer Valley): 1, Switzerland (Bouvard, Gygax, Roth), 303.08; 2. China (Xu, Sun, Wang), 297.82; 3. Russia (Nikitina, Nikitin, Burov), 296.74; 4. Belarus, 272.15; 5. Canada, 244.56; 6. United States (Ashley Caldwell, Chris Lillis, Jon Lillis), 227.18; 7. Australia, 218.29; 8. Kazakhstan, 178.00.

ATHLETICS Preview: Indoor mile record targeted in Saturday’s Millrose Games

By
Rich Perelman
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Ethiopia's Yomif Kejelcha

The mile has been one of the mainstays of indoor track & field for decades and is perhaps the most cherished record on the books. Today it stands at 3:48.45 by Morocco’s Hicham el Guerrouj back in 1997, but it may not make it past Saturday’s New York Road Runners Millrose Games at the New Balance Track & Field Center at the Armory in New York (USA).

That’s because of Ethiopia’s 21-year-old star Yomif Kejelcha, who has blazed through two mile wins so far this season in remarkable times of 3:52.61 in Seattle and 3:51.70 at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix in Roxbury a couple of weeks ago.

That’s the fastest in the world by a little more than three seconds this season, and places him no. 12 on the all-time list. He’ll be running in a meet with a long history of mile records, and the meet record is a sensational 3:50.63 – the no. 6 performance all-time – by Olympic champ Matthew Centrowitz from 2016.

His principal challengers are expected to be Kenyan Edward Cheserek, who owns the no. 2 mark in history at 3:49.44 from 2018, and Rio 800 m bronze medalist Clayton Murphy, who has run 3:51.99 outdoors from 2017.

The 112th edition of the Millrose Games will also feature:

● Men’s Shot Put: The Rio Olympic gold and silver medalists will be in the ring: Ryan Crouser and Joe Kovacs. Crouser has been just about unbeatable when he is healthy and has an indoor best of 21.73 m (71-3 1/2). Kovacs has thrown 21.46 m (70-5) indoors.

● Women’s 60 m: The Rio Olympic 100 m finalist English Gardner is finally back from injury and will be trying to improve on her 7.12 indoor best from 2012. She will have to run pretty well beat Rio 200 m Olympian Deajah Stevens (7.17 indoor best in 2017) and 2018 Commonwealth Games 100 m champion Michelle-Lee Ahye (TTO).

● Women’s 800 m: Ajee Wilson of the U.S. has been one of the top 3-4 800 m runners of the past three years, but coming on fast is former LSU star Natoya Goule (JAM). Wilson has impressive lifetime bests of 1:55.61 from 2017 and an indoor PR of 1:58.99 from last year. But Goule exploded in 2018, dropping from 1:59.38 to a national record 1:56.15. Both of them should be running for medals in the Doha Worlds much later this year.

● Women’s Mile: Konstanze Klosterhalfen (GER) is really good and has won all three of her 2019 races: a 1,000 m and mile (4:29.06 on an oversized track) in Seattle and 15:15.80 in the 5,000 m at the New Balance meet in Roxbury. Now she’s matched up with the 1-2 finishers from last year’s Wanamaker Women’s Mile: Colleen Quigley and Kate Grace, who ran 4:30.05 and 4:30.08.

And a lot more. NBC has coverage of the Millrose Games on Saturday beginning at 4 p.m. Eastern time. Look for results here.

The IAAF World Indoor Tour continues in Madrid (ESP) on Friday, with a host of intriguing match-ups, starting with the women’s 60 m.

Poland’s Ewa Swoboda has been the women’s sprint star of the early season, defeating two-time World 200 m Champion Dafne Schippers in Karlsruhe (GER) and African and Continental Cup 100 m champ Marie Josee Ta Lou (CIV) in Torun (POL) on Wednesday.

Now Schippers get another chance, and told reporters that a sub-7.00 clocking is possible. Swoboda’s world-leading mark is 7.08.

The men’s 60 m will also be interesting with the season debut of China’s Bingtian Su, who raced to an Asian Indoor Record of 6.42 last season. He will be challenged by veteran American sprinter Mike Rodgers (9.89 for 100 m outdoors in 2018), Arthur Cisse (CIV: 6.53 this season) and others.

The men’s shot put will feature all three medalists from last year’s European Championships: Poles Michal Haratyk (20.45 m/67-1 1/4 in 2019), Konrad Bukowiecki (20.95 m/68-8 3/4 this season) and Germany’s David Storl (21.26 m/69-9). The world lead of American Payton Otterdahl – 21.64 m/71-0 – is definitely in jeopardy.

Look for results here.

THE BIG PICTURE: Race walking desperate to save its place on the Olympic program

By
Rich Perelman
-

It’s no secret that when discussions about contracting the number of athletes and events in the Olympic Games come up, race walking is always mentioned.

The race walking community knows this, too, and some major changes to the entire discipline were recommended by the IAAF Race Walking Committee. The proposals promise to re-shape the entire program of events which have characterized walking in the Games since 1932. According to the IAAF’s announcement:

“The three major recommendations, agreed at a meeting in Monaco last weekend, reflect the reality that the event programme across all major athletics meetings and events will become shorter and more dynamic so innovation is required in Race Walk to ensure it remains a core discipline in the World Championships and the Olympic Games.

“● Equality between the sexes should be achieved in Olympic Games and maintained in all major international competitions, with two men’s and two women’s events included on championships programmes;

“● Distances for senior competitions should be changed from 20km and 50km to 10km and 30km from the 2023 World Championships;

“● RWECS electronic chip insole technology [for judging] should be incorporated into competitions from 2021.”

The changes from the 20 km and 50 km distances – the current cornerstones of the discipline – to 10 km and 30 km would be phased in over three years:

● 2020 Olympic Games: 20/50 km for men; 20 km for women
● 2021 World Champs: 20 km/30 km for men and women
● 2022 Race Walk Team Champs: 10 km/30 km for men and women

And the program would remain that way going forward.

The events will be shorter. Consider the difference in time in the world records:

● Men’s 10 km Walk: 38:31.4 (indoors; by Werner Heyer/GER in 1980)
● Men’s 20 km Walk: 1:16:36 (by Yusuke Suzuki/JPN in 2015)

● Men’s 30 km Walk: 2:01:44 (by Maurizio Damilano/ITA in 1992)
● Men’s 50 km Walk: 3:32:33 (by Yohann Diniz/FRA in 2014)

The women have been walking 10,000 m for a long time and have just started walking the 50 km, so the switch will be on quickly to change to 30 km.

These are smart, if somewhat desperate, moves for the walking community to maintain their place as a part of the Olympic program. Four-time Olympic gold medalist and three-time World Champion Robert Korzeniowski (POL) put it this way:

“As you know my heart is passionate about the 50 km, and all the great achievements and medals I won were in 50 km, but the world is changing fast and we need to be realistic, to move forward and be brave in order to be relevant with the broadcast and digital media and to secure the future of race walking in major competitions. The numbers in 50 km are not very promising and if we care about the development and the healthy status of our event, this is the only way to do it. I have no doubt that 30 km is a distance that will provide equal opportunities to endurance race walkers to perform and achieve their goals.”

The IAAF Council will consider the recommendations at its next meeting on 10-11 March.

ARCHERY Preview: Vegas Shoot hosts Indoor World Series Final

By
Rich Perelman
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American Casey Kaufhold, 14, in the Nimes Indoor World Series final (Photo: World Archery)

The enormous Vegas Shoot – the world’s largest indoor archery tournament – takes place this weekend and includes within in the final stage of the World Archery Indoor World Series and the World Series Final.

The event had its roots as long ago as 1962 and will attract more than 3,700 entries from all 50 U.S. states and 51 other nations. It’s the most prestigious indoor archery event in the world, held this year at the South Point Hotel, Casino and Spa.

But as far as the Indoor World Series is concerned, the last leg will be held on Friday and Saturday and then the World Series Final will be held on Saturday evening. The top 16 archers in each division will face off in elimination matches in the Final, with all shooting at 18 m.

The top-ranked archers going into the final leg of the series:

● Men/Recurve:
1. 1,000 Seung-Yun Lee (KOR) ~ Nimes Tournament winner
2. 750 Jin-Hyek Oh (KOR) ~ 2012 Olympic Champion; Macau Indoor winner;
3. 600 Sergii Makarevych (UKR) ~ 2016 World Indoor silver medalist
4. 500 Steve Wijler (NED) ~ 2017 World Championships bronze medalist
5. 360 Jae-Yeop Han (KOR)

● Men/Compound:
1. 1,300 Braden Gellenthien (USA) ~ 2007 World Indoor Champion
2. 810 Mike Schloesser (NED) ~ 2018 World Indoor Champion
3. 675 Kris Schaff (USA) ~ Nimes Tournament runner-up
4. 495 Stephan Hansen (DEN) ~ 2014 World Indoor bronze; 2015 World Champion
5. 330 Domagoj Buden (CRO)

● Women/Recurve:
1. 1,125 Chae-Young Kang (KOR) ~ Nimes Tournament winner
2. 895 Casey Kaufhold (USA) ~ GT Open winner; Nimes Tournament runner-up
3. 520 Ye-Ji Sim (KOR) ~ Third in Nimes Tournament
4. 490 Gabriela Bayardo (NED) ~ Roma Trophy runner-up
5. 320 Yun Jin (KOR)

● Women/Compound:
1. 1,030 Janine Meissner (GER) ~ Nimes Tournament winner
2. 680 Alexis Ruiz (USA) ~ Roma Trophy winner
3. 660 Chae-Won So (KOR) ~ Nimes Tournament runner-up
4. 520 Natalia Avdeeva (RUS) ~ 2018 World Indoor Champion
5. 470 Toja Ellison (SLO)

Much attention will be focused on Kaufhold, the 14-year-old American sensation who has a gold and silver in this season’s World Series.

Prize money for the Final is CHF 8,000-4,000-1,500 for the top three places. Look for results here.

CROSS COUNTRY SKIING Preview: Klaebo and Nilsson defend seasonal Sprint leads in Lahti

By
Rich Perelman
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Norway's Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo (Photo: Steffen Proessdorf via Wikipedia)

The next-to-last stop prior to the World Nordic Championships in Seefeld (AUT) is a Sprint festival in Lahti (FIN), with an Freestyle individual event on Saturday and a Classical team event on Sunday.

There have been seven men’s Sprint events so far this season, and Norway’s Johannes Klaebo, the overall World Cup leader, has won four of them, including four of the last five. He has the seasonal Sprint lead as well, with 404 points, ahead of Sindre Bjoernestad Skar (NOR: 281) and Eirik Brandsdal (NOR: 269).

Besides Klaebo, Russian Alexander Bolshunov, Italy’s Federico Pellegrino and Skar have won Sprints this season.

The women’s Sprint standings show Sweden’s Olympic Champion, Stina Nilsson as the leader, with 426 points, well ahead of teammate Maja Dahlqvist (SWE: 280) and defending World Cup champ Maiken Caspersen Falla (NOR: 263). Of the seven women’s Sprints, Nilsson has won four, with Yulia Belorukova (RUS), Jonna Sundling (SWE) and and Falla the winners of the others.

Last season, Pellegrino and Alexey Poltoranin (KAZ) won the men’s Sprints, and Falla and Finland’s Krista Parmakoski won the women’s events.

Look for results here.

SKI JUMPING Preview: Kobayashi looks for 11th win this season; Lundby trying for six in a row

By
Rich Perelman
-
Japan's Olympic Champion Ryoyu Kobayashi

With two weeks to go to the World Nordic Championships, there are two more stops on the FIS Ski Jumping World Cup tour, starting this week in Lahti (FIN) for the men and Ljubno (SLO) for the women.

The men’s program includes a team and individual event from a 130 m hill, with all eyes on Japan’s wunderkind, Ryoyu Kobayashi. He’s leading the seasonal standings by 1,380-929-917 over veteran champions Kamil Stoch (POL) and Stefan Kraft (AUT).

Kobayashi’s amazing season includes 10 wins in the 19 competitions held so far, plus three bronze medals. While Stoch has been strong all season as well, Kraft has been on fire, with three wins and five medals in the last seven events to move into third place.

The women’s jumping in Ljubno (SLO) will be off of a 94 m hill, with individual competitions on Friday and Sunday and a team event on Saturday.

Norway’s reigning World Cup champ, Maren Lundby (NOR) has taken over the seasonal lead and looks to extend her five-meet winning streak (and has won six of the last seven events). She now has a 988-867 lead over Katharina Althaus (GER), but there are 11 competitions remaining.

Lundby won six in a row last season, including the first event at Ljubno; Austria’s Daniela Iraschko-Stolz won the second, with Lundby second and Althaus third.

Look for results from both events here.

FREESTYLE & SNOWBOARD: Veteran Woods wins Slopestyle as Goepper claims bronze

By
Rich Perelman
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2019 World Freestyle Slopestyle medalists: Birk Ruud (NOR: 2); James Woods (GBR: 1) and Nick Goepper (USA: 3).

The Freestyle Slopestyle at Park City was initially postponed for the women due to more rough weather, but the men’s event was completed, albeit with a late afternoon start instead of in the morning.

American Nick Goepper, a two-time Olympic Slopestyle medalist – bronze in 2014 and silver last year – took the lead in the first round at 84.46, an impressive score given the heavy snows, wind and low visibility.

That looked like it might hold up and it did … for a while. No one else managed 77 points in the first round and through the first three runs of the second run. But then Britain’s James Woods, who came in with two Worlds medals from 2013 and 2017, put together an excellent run that earned 86.68 from the judges to take the lead.

Two skiers later came Norway’s Birk Ruud, 18 – who has a World Cup win this season – and put down a nice run that was rewarded with a 85.40 score and second place.

Goepper responded in the third round with his best score of the day, 85.18, but stayed in third and no one else could get close. It was Goepper’s second Worlds Slopestyle bronze; he also did in back in 2013.

“It was great to have my my sister, my fiancé, and my friends out here along with some family watching at home,” said Goepper. “It’s been a great experience here in Park City. There were some positive emotions and some negative emotions today, but we were able to get the contest off. In this type of weather it’s about competing and not necessarily the skiing.

“There’s a lot of strategy involved. If you going forward or switch, because you tend to get more speed forward. I’m one of the veterans out here and I think experience really helps. It’s about picking those tricks that allow you to dial in your landing and carry speed into a tuck and get through the next feature. That was my play today.”

American Mac Forehand was fourth, but with a remarkable story. “I broke my skis in practice,” he said afterwards. “I ended up not having any skis for finals, but the French coach offered his skis for my first run. For my second run, my mom actually ran to where we were staying and picked up my other pair and brought them up to the top of the course for me. Shout out to all moms out there, especially my mom for making it happen.” And Forehand’s second-round 83.30 – on the skis his mom brought – got him up to fourth.

Later in the evening, FIS and the organizing committee announced that the women’s Slopestyle had to be canceled, the second event to be lost due to weather.

The Freestyle Aerials events were held, with Russian Maxim Burov, 20, coming through to score his first meaningful results, and getting even – sort of – with his brother!

Burov was the final skier in the Super Final, so he knew what he had to do: beat the 126.24 mark of Ukraine’s Oleksandr Abramenko, who took the lead on the third run. Burov was up to the task and responded with a 130.09 to put himself on the top of the podium.

Quite a difference from 2018, when Maxim and his older brother Ilya both competing in the Winter Games in PyeongChang. Ilya won the bronze medal there, but a year later, Maxim can say he’s a World Champion!

The women’s Aerials was won by 22-year-old Aliaksandra Ramanouskaya of Belarus. Who?

Hardly a well-known name on the World Cup circuit, she was the 2016 World Junior Champion and has won three World Cup medals in 2015, 2016 and 2018. But after a 15th in her only World Cup appearance this season, how could she win?

She took the Simone Biles route: her run was so much more difficult than anyone else’s that a good run was going to score very big. And it did. Her back layout with two full twists had a difficulty level of 4.028, almost a half-point more than anyone else in the final! When multiplying that by the best in-air form, the best landing and best jumping, she routed the field at 113.18. Next best were Russian Lyubov Nikitina and China’s Mengtao Xu, both at 89.88, but with Lyubov getting the silver on criteria.

The Freestyle and Snowboard Worlds continues through the 10th, with the Freestyle Team Aerials scheduled for Thursday. The broadcast schedule is here. Look for results here. Summaries:

FIS Freestyle Skiing World Championships
Park City, Utah (USA) ~ 1-10 February 2019
(Full results here)

Men’s Aerials (at Deer Valley)/ Super Final: 1. Maxim Burov (RUS), 130.09; 2. Oleksandr Abramenko (UKR), 126.24; 3. Noe Roth (SUI), 125.22; 4. Pavel Krotov (RUS), 107.24; 5. Stanislav Nikitin (RUS), 80.54; 6. Xindi Wang (CHN), 61.50.

Men’s Big Air (at Canyons Village): 1. Fabian Boesch (SUI), 186.00; 2. Henrik Harlaut (SWE), 184.00; 3. Alex Beaulieu-Marchand (CAN), 183.25; 4. Alex Hall (USA), 180.50; 5. Finn Bilous (NZL), 179.75; 6. Oliwer Magnusson (SWE), 171.00; 7. Jesper Tjader (SWE), 152.75; 8. Oystein Braaten (NOR), 109.00. Also: 10. Nick Goepper (USA), 43.00.

Men’s Ski Cross (at Solitude Mountain)/ Big Final: 1. Francois Place (FRA); 2. Brady Leman (CAN); 3. Kevin Drury (CAN); 4. Alex Fiva (SUI). Small Final: 5. Jean Frederic Chapuis (FRA); 6. Johannes Aujesky (AUT); 7. Viktor Andersson (SWE); 8. Filip Flisar (SLO).

Men’s Slopestyle (at Park City): 1. James Woods (GBR), 86.68; 2. Birk Ruud (NOR), 85.40; 3. Goepper (USA), 85.18; 4. Mac Forehand (USA), 83.30; 5. Henrik Harlaut (SWE), 82.70; 6. Colin Wili (SUI), 81.81; 7. McRae Williams (USA), 76.28; 8. Jonas Hunziker (SUI), 73.43.

Women’s Aerials (at DeerValley)/ Super Final: 1. Aliaksandra Ramanouskaya (BLR), 113.18; 2. Liubov Nikitina (RUS), 89.88; 3. Mengtao Xu (CHN), 89.88; 4. Laura Peel (AUS), 87.77; 5. Ashley Caldwell (USA), 58.81; 6. Sofia Alekseeva (RUS), 37.80.

Women’s Big Air (at Canyons Village): 1. Tess Ledeux (FRA), 184.75; 2. Julia Krass (USA), 173.75; 3. Isabel Atkin (GBR), 168.75; 4. Sarah Hoefflin (SUI), 167.75; 5. Silvia Bertagna (ITA), 122.25; 6. Anastasia Tatalina (RUS), 92.50; 7. Mathilde Gremaud (SUI), 77.75; 8. Maggie Voisin (USA), 41.75.

Women’s Ski Cross (at Solitude Mountain)/ Big Final: 1. Marielle Thompson (CAN); 2. Fanny Smith (SUI); 3. Alizee Baron (FRA); 4. Sanna Luedi (SUI); Small Final: 5. Kelsey Serwa (CAN); 6. Brittany Phelan (CAN); 7. Nikol Kucerova (CZE); 8. Mikayla Martin (CAN).

Women’s Slopestyle (at Park City): Canceled due to the weather.

FENCING Preview: First Grand Prix in Foil ready in Turin

By
Rich Perelman
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Russia's Olympic and World Foil Champion Inna Deriglazova

The first of three Grand Prix events in the Foil discipline will begin on Friday in Turin (ITA), for the Trofeo Inalpi, at the Pala Alpitour. The fields include 216 men and 171 women, with the top 10 in the world rankings entered in both competitions:

● Men:
1. Richard Kruse (GBR) ~ 2018 World Champs silver medalist
2. Alessio Foconi (ITA) ~ 2018 World Champion
3. Race Imboden (USA) ~ 2016 Olympic Team bronze medalist
4. Daniele Garozzo (ITA) ~ 2016 Olympic Champion; 2017 World Champs bronze
5. Alexey Cheremisinov (RUS) ~ 2018 World Champs Team bronze medalist
6. Andrea Cassara (ITA) ~ 2018 World Champs Team gold medalist
7. Timur Safin (RUS) ~ 2016 Olympic bronze medalist
8. Alexander Massialas (USA) ~ 2016 Olympic silver medalist
9. Jun Heo (KOR) ~ 2018 World Champs bronze medalist
10. Enzo Lefort (FRA) ~ 2017 World Champs Team bronze medalist

● Women:
1. Inna Deriglazova (RUS) ~ 2016 Olympic and 2017 World Champion
2. Alice Volpi (ITA) ~ 2018 World Champion; 2017 Worlds silver medalist
3. Lee Kiefer (USA) ~ 2018 World Champs Team gold medalist
4. Ines Boubakri (TUN) ~ 2018 World bronze medalist
5. Arianna Errigo (ITA) ~ 2017-18 Worlds bronze medalist
6. Ysaora Thibus (FRA) ~ 2018 Worlds silver medalist; 2017 Worlds bronze medalist
7. Leonie Ebert (GER)
8. Eleanor Harvey (CAN)
9. Svetlana Tripapina (RUS) ~ 2017 World Champs bronze medalist
10. Nzingha Prescod (USA) ~ 2018 World Champs Team gold medalist

This is the strongest weapon for the U.S., and the American entries also include 12th-ranked Nicole Ross in the women’s field as well. Look for results here.

The FIE World Cup schedule is also busy, with men’s Epee action in Vancouver (CAN) and the women’s Epee tournament in Barcelona (ESP), for both individuals and teams. These fields have 198 men and 281 women (!). The top entries per the FIE World Rankings:

● Men in Vancouver:
2. Bogdan Nikishin (UKR) ~ 2018 World Champs bronze medalist
3. Ruben Limardo Gascon (VEN) ~ 2018 World Champs silver medalist
4. Dmitry Alexanin (KAZ)
5. Sang-Young Park (KOR) ~ 2016 Olympic Champion
7. Koki Kano (JPN)
8. Max Heinzer (SUI) ~ 2018 World Champs Team gold medalist
10. Kazuyasu Minobe (JPN)

● Women in Barcelona:
1. Mara Navarria (ITA) ~ 2018 World Champion
2. Man Wai Vivian Kong (HKG)
3. Young Mi Kang (KOR) ~ 2018 World Champs Team silver medalist
4. Ana Maria Popescu (ROU) ~ 2016 Olympic Team gold medalist
5. Violetta Kolobova (RUS) ~ 2016 Olympic Team bronze medalist
7. Olena Kryvytska (UKR) ~ 2017 World Champs bronze medalist
8. Yiwen Sun (CHN) ~ 2016 Olympic bronze medalist
9. Julia Beljajeva (EST) ~ 2017 World Champs bronze medalist
10. Katrina Lehis (EST)

This will be the 43rd edition of the World Cup in Barcelona, which actually began 62 years ago, back in 1957. The event has been dedicated to women’s Epee beginning in 2005.

Look for results here.

ATHLETICS: Swoboda upsets Ta Lou and Kendricks wins vault in Torun

By
Rich Perelman
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American vault star Sam Kendricks

The third stop on the IAAF World Indoor Tour was in the Torun Arena in Poland, where the home fans had a lot to cheer about, especially sprint star Ewa Swoboda.

Already having defeated Dutch star Dafne Schippers in Karlsruhe (GER) last week, Poland’s Swoboda took on an even bigger challenge in 2018 World Indoor silver medalist Marie Josee Ta Lou (CIV).

No problem, as Swoboda came on for a tight, 7.15-7.16 victory over Ta Lou, to the delight of the home crowd. That’s three wins in a row for Swoboda, who also owns the world lead at 7.08 in the Karlsruhe heats. At 21, is she a star of the future?

The other standout event in Torun was the men’s vault, with American World Champion Sam Kendricks battle Poland’s Piotr Lisek and Pawel Wojciechowski. All three came in at 5.48 m (17-11 3/4) and while Kendricks and Lisek cleared on their first trials, Wojciechowski was eliminated with three misses. In fact, Kendricks and Lisek were the only ones in the eight-man field to clear the height.

They next jumped at 5.68 m (18-7 1/2) and both cleared, moving the bar to 5.78 m (18-11 1/2). Here it got interesting, with both missing their first tries. But Kendricks snaked over on his second try, putting the pressure on Lisek, who set meet record of 5.91 m (19-4 3/4) last season.

Lisek missed twice and had to settle for second. As the winner, Kendricks elected to try for a meet record and world lead of 5.92 m (19-5), but missed all three times.

There was one new world leader and a tie in Torun. Ethiopia’s Sam Tefera held off hometown hero Marcin Lewandowski (POL) to win the 1,500 m in 3:35.57, fastest in the world for 2019, and Spain’s Orlando Ortega equaled American Grant Holloway’s mark of 7.49 in the 60 m Hurdles.

Among the other highlights were American Erik Sowinski won the 800 m in 1:47.49, and a great finish in the women’s 800 m, as Ethiopia’s Habitam Alemu barely edged Britain’s Laura Muir, 1:59.49-1:59.50.

The IAAF World Indoor Tour will continue on Friday in Madrid (ESP). Summaries from Torun:

IAAF World Indoor Tour
Torun (POL) ~ 6 February 2019
(Full results here)

Men

400 m: Race 1: 1. Nathan Strother (USA), 46.32; 2. Rafat Omelko (POL), 47.24; 3. Liemarvin Bonevacia (NED), 47.39. Race 2: 1. Pavel Maslak (CZE), 46.19; 2. Luke Janezic (SLO), 46.46; 3. Karol Zalewski (POL), 46.67.

800 m: 1. Erik Sowinski (USA), 1:47.49; 2. Mostafa Smaili (MAR), 1:47.70; 3. Mateusz Borkowski (POL), 1:47.78.

1,500 m: 1. Samuel Tefera (ETH), 3:35.57; 2. Marcin Lewandowski (POL), 3:36.50; 3. Kalle Berglund (SWE), 3:36.63.

60 m Hurdles: 1. Orlando Ortega (ESP), 7.49; 2. Milan Trajkovic (CYP), 7.54; 3. Jarret Eaton (USA), 7.60.

High Jump: 1. Ilya Ivanyuk (RUS), 2.25 m (7-4 1/2); 2. tie, Sylwester Bednarek (POL) and Norbert Kobielski (POL), 2.20 m (7-2 1/2). Also: 4. Trey Culver (USA), 2.20 m (7-2 1/2).

Pole Vault: 1. Sam Kendricks (USA), 5.78 m (18-11 1/2); 2. Piotr Lisek (POL), 5.68 m (18-7 1/2); 3. Bokai Huang (CHN), 5.28 m (17-3 3/4).

Long Jump: 1. Juan Miguel Echevarria (CUB), 8.12 m (26-7 3/4); 2. Thobias Nilsson Montler (SWE), 7.97 m (26-1 3/4); 3. Tomasz Jaszczuk (POL), 7.87 m (25-10). Also: 8. Jarvis Gotch (USA), 7.14 m (23-5 1/4).

Women

60 m: 1. Ewa Swoboda (POL), 7.15; 2. Marie Josee Ta Lou (CIV), 7.16; 3. Imani Lansiquot (GBR), 7.23.

400 m: 1. Iga Baumgart (POL), 51.91; 2. Justyna Swiety-Ersetic (POL), 52.14; 3. Lea Sprunger (SUI), 52.48.

800 m: 1. Habitam Alemu (ETH), 1:59.49; 2. Laura Muir (GBR), 1:59.50; 3. Sofia Ennaoui (POL), 2:00.40.

60 m Hurdles: 1. Pam Dutkiewicz (GER), 7.95; 2. Reetta Hurske (FIN), 7.98; 3. Nooralotta Neziri (FIN), 8.03. Also: 4. Evonne Britton (USA), 8.04.

Shot Put: 1. Christina Schwanitz (GER), 18.97 m (62-3); 2. Aliona Dubitskaya (BLR), 18.91 m (62-0 1/2); 3. Jessica Ramsey (USA), 18.73 m (61-5 1/2).

ALPINE SKIING: Italy’s Paris wins Worlds Super-G; Shiffrin to try for 3 golds, not 4

By
Rich Perelman
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Italy's 2019 World Super-G champion Dominik Paris (Photo: Vale93b via Wikipedia)

Italy’s Dominik Paris was clearly one of the medal contenders in the men’s Super-G, but having drawn the third position, he had very little information on the course when his turn came.

But having been one of the best speed skiers in the world so far this season, he let it rip and took the lead at 1:24.20. And then he waited.

The next skier was France’s Brice Roger, but his 1:24.61 was only good enough for second. In ninth position was a real threat, Austria’s Vincent Kriechmayr, the season leader in the Super-G. He looked good, but the clock read 1:24.29, so Paris stayed in the lead.

The racers continued and another Frenchman, 38-year-old Johan Clarey, who had won a silver in the Super-G at Kitzbuehel 10 days prior, made an excellent run, but he too finished in 1:24.29, tied for second.

And so Paris waited, and waited … and he was finally the winner!

While Paris has been a consistent medalist on the World Cup tour, with 28 medals, this was his first World Championships medal since 2013, when he won a silver in the Downhill. Now he’s World Champion in the Super-G.

And the rewards for Kriechmayr and Clarey were also splendid, as both were first-time medalists at the World Championships. For Clarey, he proved that even 38-year-olds can compete with the best on one day when it matters.

The U.S. men also had a good debut, with Steven Nyman tying for eighth place, his best-ever Super-G finish at a Worlds 9and second-best ever), and Ryan Cochran-Siegle in 11th.

Off the snow, American Super-G winner Mikaela Shiffrin shared her plans for the rest of the Worlds on Twitter:

“It has been a tough decision for me, but my team and I have finally decided that competing in AC will be too much to manage in this World Championships. This season has already been beyond my wildest dreams and it still isn’t over.”

And

“The most difficult thing through it all has been balancing my desire to race as much as possible with managing my energy levels both physically and mentally and not taking anything for granted. We believe the SL and GS are where I need to focus my energy. Good luck to all!!”

This means Shiffrin would max out at three wins, which would make her the 10th woman to win three in a single World Championships. It was first done in 1933 and the last time was in 2007 by Swede Anja Parson, also in Are!

(In case you were wondering, winning four golds in a single Worlds has only been done twice, both times by men: Toni Sailer (AUT) in 1956 and Jean-Claude Killy (FRA) in 1968.)

The Worlds will continue Friday with the women’s Alpine Combined and the Men’s Downhill on Saturday. Look for results here.

FIS Alpine World Championships
Are (SWE) ~ 5-17 February 2019
(Full results here)

Men’s Super-G: 1. Dominik Paris (ITA), 1:24.20; 2. tie, Johan Clarey (FRA) and Vincent Kriechmayr (AUT), 1:24.29; 4. Christof Innerhofer (ITA), 1:24.55; 5. Adrien Theaux (FRA), 1:24.57; 6. Josef Ferstl (GER), 1:24.59; 7. Brice Roger (FRA), 1:24.61; 8. tie, Mattia Casse (ITA), Steven Nyman (USA) and Adrian Sejersted (NOR), 1:24.70. Also in the top 25: 11. Ryan Cochran-Siegle (USA), 1:24.73; … 23. Bruce Bennett (USA), 1:25.82.

Women’s Super-G: 1. Mikaela Shiffrin (USA), 1:04.89; 2. Sofia Goggia (ITA), 1:04.91; 3. Corinne Suter (SUI), 1:04.94; 4. Viktor Rebensburg (GER), 1:04.96; 5. Nadia Fanchini (ITA), 1:05.03; 6. Ragnhild Mowinckel (NOR), 1:05.05; 7. Francesca Marsaglia (ITA), 1:05.13; 8. Ilka Stuhec (SLO), 1:05.15; 9. Lara Gut-Behrami (SUI), 1:05.37; 10. Federica Brignone (ITA), 1:05.43. Also in the top 25: 22. Alice Merryweather (USA), 1:07.22.

GLOBETROTTING by Phil Hersh: In men’s skating, Nathan Chen now a real challenger to even the best of Yuzuru Hanyu

By
Phil Hersh
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Nathan Chen of the U.S. (r) beat Yuzuru Hanyu of Japan (l) for the 2017 Four Continents gold. (Photo: Getty Images)

All you Hanyu bots can start getting your fingers near the send button.

Because no figure skating fans get more dyspeptic than many of Yuzuru Hanyu’s if anyone dares suggest the sport’s biggest global star is not one million times better at all times than any other men’s figure skater.

And I’m saying this: the free skate Nathan Chen did in winning his third straight U.S. championship nine days ago was considerably better than any other men’s free skate in the world since Hanyu’s at the 2017 World Championships.

That 2017 Hanyu performance in Helsinki simply is the best free skate ever when one looks at it in terms of execution and difficulty of jumps (four pristine quads), quality of footwork and spins and overall level of artistry and skating skills.

No. 1 at the Olympics again: Yuzuru Hanyu in 2018. (Getty Images)
No. 1 at the Olympics again: Yuzuru Hanyu in 2018. (Getty Images)

Chen’s skating at the 2019 nationals was as close to Hanyu’s 2017 worlds free skate as anyone – even the Japanese skater himself – has come since then.  The U.S. champion’s four quads were huge and steady, his artistry a huge leap forward from his past level, going from good to excellent.

There could be quite a showdown between the two at March’s World Championships in Japan, because Chen has developed into a skater whose best skating now can challenge even Hanyu’s best skating.

Because injuries have kept Hanyu out of the last two Grand Prix Finals and because he chose not to push the injured foot on which he won a second straight Olympic title last winter, the 2018 Winter Games is the only time Hanyu and Chen have met In the last 14 months.

Chen bombed his 2018 Olympic short program so badly he was hopelessly out of medal contention before the free skate, in which he finished first, 7.01 points ahead of Hanyu.  That moved Chen from 17th to fifth overall, still 20.5 points behind Hanyu, who remained then in a league of his own.

Since Chen became a senior internationally in the 2016-17 season, he has met Hanyu six times, with the U.S. star winning twice, at the 2017 Four Continents Championships and the 2017 Rostelecom Cup.  Chen won the 2018 worlds and the last two Grand Prix Finals in Hanyu’s absence.  Neither is competing at this week’s Four Continents Championships in Anaheim, Calif.

Beginning with the 2013-2014 season, there has been no better big-event skater than Hanyu, even if he did squander leads after the short program in the 2015 and 2016 worlds, finishing second in both.  Over that span, Hanyu is 2-for-2 gold at the Olympics, 2-for-4 at worlds, 4-for-4 at the Grand Prix Final.

So it would be no surprise if Hanyu lays it down at the upcoming worlds, which are to be his first competition in four months.

And no matter how home-cooked the 2019 worlds judging might be, Hanyu will likely need such brilliance again if Chen repeats what he did at nationals – dazzling skates in both the short program and the free.

If that happens, Hanyu will get more gold, and the big winner will be skating.

FREESTYLE & SNOWBOARD: Loginov doubles in Parallel Slalom, but weather knocks out Snowboard Big Air

By
Rich Perelman
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Swiss Parallel Slalom World Champion Julie Zogg

The inevitable reality of winter sports is that the weather dictates the schedule, not vice versa. So it was on Tuesday that one set of events had to be canceled, while two more events were held.

The Snowboard Parallel Slalom had a familiar look to it, as two of the three men’s medalists from the day before were on the podium once again! Russia’s Dmitry Loginov, 19, swept to his second gold in as many days and Germany’s Stefan Baumeister ended up third again.

Loginov pressed hard in each of his races, winning by 0.62 and 1.86 in his first two races, then winning his semifinal over countryman Dmitry Sarsembaev as the latter was disqualified. In the final, he used his speed to force Italy’s Ronald Fischnaller to go through a gate and also lost by disqualification.

Loginov became only the fourth man ever to win both the Parallel Giant Slalom and Slalom in the World Championships, after Jasey-Jay Anderson (CAN) in 2005, Benjamin Karl in 2011 and Austria’s Andreas Prommegger in 2017. Fischnaller collected his fifth World Championships medal, with hardware from the 2011-13-15-19 Worlds.

In the women’s Parallel Slalom, it was Swiss Julie Zogg who became a first-time World Champion. She joined the World Cup tour in 2007, but scored her first Worlds medal after torching a series of medalists. She edged Natalie Soboleva (RUS), winner of the Parallel Giant Slalom silver the day before, by 1.36 seconds. She then beat Swiss Patrizia Kummer, the 2017 Worlds silver medalist, in the quarters and Maria Valova (RUS) by more than 11 seconds in the semis. The final, against the unheralded Annamari Dancha (UKR) was a win by 0.85 seconds.

“Today wasn’t the best conditions for me to race in, but I did do the best in this race, and it’s just unbelievable,” said Zogg afterwards.“Now it’s the time to relax for a few days; we’re heading to Hawaii tomorrow!” For Dancha, 28, it was her first medal of any kind in 101 starts in World Cup, Olympic and World Championship events.

The much-anticipated Big Air competition to be held on Tuesday didn’t happen. The FIS statement started with “After much careful consideration, the organizers of the 2019 FIS Snowboard, Freestyle and Freeski World Championships have taken the decision to cancel the snowboard big air competition, based on the weather forecast and with the best interests of the athletes in mind, and the remaining events scheduled to take place.”

The amount of snow coming in and the forecast for even more snow and very cold temperatures led to the decision.

The Freestyle and Snowboard Worlds continues through the 10th, with the Freestyle Aerials and Slopestyle events scheduled for Wednesday. Look for results here. Summaries:

FIS Snowboard World Championships
Park City, Utah (USA) ~ 1-10 February 2019
(Full results here)

Men’s Snowboard Cross (at Solitude Mountain)/ Big Final: 1. Mick Dierdorff (USA); 2. Hanno Douschan (AUT); 3. Emanuel Perathoner (ITA); 4. Lucas Eguibar (ESP). Small Final: 5. Jake Vedder (USA); 6. Baptiste Brochu (CAN); 7. Paul Berg (GER); 8. Leon Beckhaus (GER).

Women’s Snowboard Cross (at Solitude Mountain)/ Big Final: 1. Eva Samkova (CZE); 2. Charlotte Bankes (GBR); 3. Michela Moioli (ITA); 4. Francesca Gallina (ITA). Small Final: 5. Lindsey Jacobellis (USA); 6. Raffaella Bruto (ITA); 7. Chloe Trespeuch (FRA); 8. Carle Brenneman (CAN).

Mixed Snowboard Cross Team (at Solitude Mountain)/ Big Final: 1. Mick Dierdorff/Lindsey Jacobellis (USA); 2. Omar Visintin/Michaela Moioli (ITA); 3. Paul Berg/Hanna Ihedioha (GER); 4. Emanuel Perathoner/Francesca Gallina (ITA). Small Final: 5. Loan Bozzolo/Chloe Trespeuch (FRA); 6. Baptiste Brochu/Carle Brenneman (CAN); 7. Merlin Surget/Nelly Moenne Loccoz (FRA); 8. Kalle Koblet/Lara Casanova (SUI).

Men’s Parallel Giant Slalom/ Big Final: 1. Dmitry Loginov (RUS); 2. Tim Mastnak (SLO); Small Final: 3. Stefan Baumeister (GER); 4. Vic Wild (RUS).

Men’s Parallel Slalom/ Big Final: 1. Loginov (RUS); 2. Ronald Fischnaller (ITA); Small Final: 3. Baumeister (GER); 4. Dmitry Sarsembaev (RUS).

Women’s Parallel Giant Slalom/ Big Final: 1. Selina Joerg (GER); 2. Natalia Soboleva (RUS); Small Final: 3. Ladina Jenny (SUI); 4. Milena Bykova (RUS).

Women’s Parallel Slalom/ Big Final: 1. Julie Zogg (SUI); 2. Annamari Dancha (UKR); Small Final: 3. Ramona Hofmeister (GER); 4. Maria Valova (RUS).

LANE ONE: What do federation review commissions do anyway? In Biathlon, quite a lot.

By
Rich Perelman
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IBU President Olle Dahlin (SWE)

For those who are not close watchers of the Biathlon scene, these have been troubled months for the International Biathlon Federation.

Last year, the federation saw the resignation of its long-time President, Anders Besseberg (NOR) and Secretary General, Nicole Resch (GER) after allegations of bribery over Russian doping positives surfaced from an investigations by Austrian and Norwegian authorities.

A new president, Swede Ollie Dahlin, was elected and the promise was that the federation would be cleaned up from the inside. The investigations have continued, and there have been several apparently unrelated resignations from the IBU staff in recent days, including the acting Secretary General, Martin Kuchenmeister (AUT).

All this tumult has led to an extensive work program for the IBU’s specially-appointed External Review Commission, which is trying to figure out what happened with Besseberg and Resch and how to prevent it in the future.

The group published a four-page report made public by the IBU on its Web site and it provides a fascinating look into what such groups do. Without boring you with the entire report, here’s a summary:

● Consultation with the Austrian criminal prosecutors, to figure out which crimes are alleged to have been committed, what evidence is available that can be released to the IBU’s Commission and establishing a line of communications for the exchange of information going forward.

The report noted that “The discussions were very constructive, and we are confident that the Commission will be in a position to assist the criminal authorities with their investigations.”

● Review of the IBU’s own governance documents, rules and regulations to identify the necessary sections which may need revisions to ensure future checks on administrative power to assure that future criminal activities do not occur.

● A review of Austrian law to make sure that IBU’s own regulations comply with national laws there, since the IBU headquarters is in Salzburg.

● A review of the actions of Besseberg and Resch and possibly others with Austrian laws so that a civil action could be filed in addition to any criminal action in Austria (or Norway).

● Consultation with the World Anti-Doping Agency on its investigations of Russia, especially data concerning biathletes at the Sochi Games in 2014 and IBU World Championships and World Cups from 2011-15.

● Consultation with the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) to obtain the Athlete Biological Passport data for Russian biathletes, for comparison to the Moscow Lab data obtained by WADA and eventually for added testing of the actual samples.

● Interviews with witnesses, “starting with current and former IBU directors, officers, employees and representatives” beginning in the near future.

● Creation of a whistle-blowing “hotline” via a third-party contractor, “so that any stakeholder in the sport (whether an athlete, an official within the IBU or any of its member federations, or any other interested third party) who believes s/he has information that may be relevant to the Commission’s work may provide that information safely, securely, and confidentially to the Commission via a web-based site.”

In addition, a secure file-sharing portal for the use of Commission members, is also going to be created.

● A continuing review to see if there are individuals within the purview of the IBU who should be suspended, based on the information obtained from the prosecutors, WADA or others.

This is a comprehensive approach and well thought out, covering criminal and civil issues and the IBU’s own rules and regulations. The chair of the Commission is British lawyer Jonathan Taylor, better known to many as the head of the World Anti-Doping Agency’s Compliance Review Commission … the one that recommended Russia be provisionally reinstated back in September.

At the same time, the IBU has new projects underway to confirm or change the direction of the federation. There is a group working on what is called the first-ever “strategic plan” for the IBU, a constitutional review and the IBU’s anti-doping working group, all trying to complete their processes in time for passage of legislation at the next IBU Congress, scheduled for September. And the IBU’s new Ethics Commission met for the first time in January.

It was especially worthwhile to note the IBU’s statement of the stakeholders involved in the strategic-vision group:

“Focus Group meetings with Athletes, Coaches, National Federations, Committee Members, Staff Members, Technical Delegates, Organising Committees and External Partners were held earlier this month to provide them with a forum to voice the opportunities and challenges they face. A large number of athletes were involved in both the Focus Group meetings and questionnaires, which were sent to stakeholders by the IBU in December 2018, and the Strategic Plan is now being developed.”

As the U.S. Congress looks at what to do about the United States Olympic Committee and the U.S. National Governing Bodies in the wake of the Larry Nassar scandal, the IBU’s list of stakeholders is a reminder that there are a lot more folks involved in sport – especially at the national and international level – than just the athletes.

However, the IBU would help itself by noting the number of athletes who are involved in the process, as well as those who may have declined given that the sport is in mid-season.

Change in any organization which has been around for a long time, especially one that had a president who served for 26 years (!), is difficult. But the IBU appears to be on the right track, at least with a comprehensive agenda for reform which can move it forward even if the future holds news of criminal indictments of its former leadership.

The IAAF is in the same situation, but is far less transparent about its activities and finances than the IBU, excepting its Russian working group reports from Norway’s Rune Andersen. Here’s hoping that the track & field federation become more transparent rather than less, and follows some of the example set by the biathlon crowd.

Rich Perelman
Editor

SPEED SKATING: Bowe vs. Kodaira in World Single Distance Champs in Germany

By
Rich Perelman
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Japan's Olympic champion Nao Kodaira

The ISU World Single Distance Championships will be held for the third time in Inzell (GER) this weekend, with some tantalizing showdowns scheduled on the ice. The schedule:

● 07 February: Men’s 5,000 m; Women’s 3,000 m; Team Sprints
● 08 February: Men’s and Women’s 500 m; Team Pursuits
● 09 February: Men’s and Women’s 1,000 m; Men’s 10,000 m, Women’s 5,000 m
● 10 February: Men’s and Women’s 1,500 m; Men’s and Women’s Mass Start

This has already been a busy season for the speed skaters, with five of the six World Cup stops completed, so the top skaters are well known. The World Cup leaders:

Men

500 m:
1. 452 Pavel Kulizhnikov (RUS) ~ 2015 and 2016 World Champion
2. 366 Tatsuya Shinhama (JPN)
3. 350 Havard Holmefjord Lorentzen (NOR) ~ 2018 Olympic gold medalist

1,000 m:
1. 222 Kjeld Nuis (NED) ~ 2017 World Champion
2. 217 Pavel Kulizhnikov (RUS) ~ 2016 World Champion
3. 217 Havard Holmefjord Lorentzen ~ 2018 Olympic silver medalist

1,500 m:
1. 223 Denis Yuskov (RUS) ~ 2013-15-17 World Champion
2. 203 Seitaro Ichinohe (JPN)
3. 199 Min Seok Kim (KOR) ~ 2018 Olympic bronze medalist

Distances:
1. 237 Sverre Lunde Pedersen (NOR) ~ 2016 World 5,000 m bronze medalist
2. 236 Alexander Rumyantsev (RUS)
3. 212 Marcel Bosker (NED)

Mass Start:
1. 475 Cheonho Um (KOR)
2. 430 Bart Swings (BEL) ~ 2018 Olympic silver medalist
3. 366 Ruslan Zakharov (RUS)

Women

500 m:
1. 504 Vanessa Herzog (AUT)
2. 403 Olga Fatkulina (RUS) ~ 2013 World Championships bronze
3. 388 Angelina Golikova (RUS)

1,000 m:
1. 277 Brittany Bowe (USA) ~ 2015 World Champion; 2013-16 bronze
2. 217 Vanessa Herzog (AUT)
3. 202 Nao Kodaira (JPN) ~ 2018 Olympic 500 m gold; 1,000 m silver

1,500 m:
1. 270 Brittany Bowe (USA) ~ 2015 World Champion; 2016 bronze
2. 217 Ireen Wust (NED) ~ 2018 Olympic gold; 2011-15 World Champion
3. 211 Miho Takagi (JPN) ~ 2018 Olympic 1,000 m bronze; 1,500 m silver

Distances:
1. 250 Martina Sabilkova (CZE) ~ 2018 Olympic 5,000 m silver; 9-time World 5,000 champ
2. 239 Natalia Voronina (RUS) ~ 2018 Olympic 5,000 m bronze medalist
3. 236 Isabelle Weidemann (CAN)

Mass Start:
1. 328 Francesca Lollobrigida (ITA)
2. 316 Bo-Reum Kim (KOR) ~ 2018 Olympic silver medalist; 2017 World Champion
3. 294 Nana Takagi (JPN) ~ 2018 Olympic gold medalist; 2017 World silver medalist

The women’s 500 m standings are somewhat illusory due to Japan’s Kodaira skipping one competition; she is six-for-six in her races at this distance this season, but stands only fifth at 360. Bowe has scored well in eight of the nine 500 m races and is sixth at 348; she is entered in the 500m, but her medal chances are better in the 1,000 m and 1,500 m.

Look for results here.

FIGURE SKATING Preview: Americans Hubbell & Donohue look for second Four Continents golds

By
Rich Perelman
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American Ice Dance stars Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue

The 21st edition of the ISU Four Continents Championship will be held this week at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California (USA), the fifth time the event has been held in the U.S.. The schedule:

● 07 February: Men’s and Women’s Short Program
● 08 February: Pairs Short Program, Ice Dance Rhythm Dance, Women’s Free Skate
● 09 February: Men’s and Pairs Free Skate
● 10 February: Ice Dance Free Dance

The Four Continents was created as a counterpart to the annual European Championships and showcases skaters primarily from Asia and North America. Among the top contenders:

Men:
● Boyang Jin (CHN) ~ 2018 Four Continents Champion; 2016 Four Continents silver
● Shoma Uno (JPN) ~ 2018 Four Continents silver; 2018 Olympic silver medalist
● Jason Brown (USA) ~ Third at 2019 U.S. Nationals; 2018 Four Continents bronze
● Vincent Zhou (USA) ~ 2019 U.S. Nationals runner-up

Women:
● Rika Kihira (JPN) ~ 2018 Grand Prix Final winner; second at 2019 Japan Nationals
● Mai Mihara (JPN) ~ 2017 Four Continents winner; second in 2018
● Kaori Sakamoto (JPN) ~ 2018 Four Continents winner; 2019 Japanese Champion
● Mariah Bell (USA) ~ Sixth in 2017 Four Continents; fifth in 2018
● Bradie Tennell (USA) ~ 2018 U.S. National Champion; 2019 runner-up

Pairs:
● Kirsten Moore-Towers/Michael Marinaro (CAN) ~ Sixth at 2018 World Championships
● Cheng Peng/Yang Jin (CHN) ~ 2018 Grand Prix Final runners-up; ninth at 2018 Worlds
● Wenjing Sui/Cong Han (CHN) ~ 2018 Winter Games silvers; 2017 World Champions
● Ashley Cain/Tim LeDuc (USA) ~ 2018 Four Continents silvers
● Haven Denney/Brandon Frazier (USA) ~ 2017 U.S. National Champions
● Tarah Kayne/Danny O’Shea (USA) ~ 2018 Four Continents winners

Ice Dance:
● Piper Gilles/Paul Poirer (CAN) ~ 2014 Four Continents silvers; eighth in OWG 2018
● Kaitlin Weaver/Paul Poje (CAN) ~ 2015 Four Continents golds; 2018 Worlds bronze
● Madison Chock/Evan Bates (USA) ~ Four Continents 3-2-2-3 in 2013-15-16-17
● Kaitlin Hawayek/Jean-Luc Baker (USA) ~ 2018 Four Continents golds
● Madison Hubbell/Zach Donohue (USA) ~ 2014 Four Continents golds; 2018-19 U.S. champs

NBC has coverage of the Four Continents on Thursday on NBCSN at 5 p.m. Eastern and 11:30 p.m. Eastern time (delayed); on Friday (delayed) at 6 p.m. Eastern and midnight Eastern and on Saturday at midnight Eastern (delayed). Sunday’s coverage is only online. Look for results here.

BIATHLON Preview: IBU World Cup returns to Canmore, site of the 1988 Winter Games competition

By
Rich Perelman
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The Canmore Nordic Center, site of the 1988 Winter Games Biathlon events

The Canmore Nordic Center outside of Calgary (CAN) was the site for biathlon at the 1988 Olympic Winter Games and the World Cup returns for the first time since 2016 for six competitions:

● 07 February: Men’s 20 km and women’s 15 km Individual
● 09 February: Men’s 4×7.5 km Relay and women’s 4×6 km Relay
● 10 February: Men’s 15 km Mass start and women’s 12.5 km Mass Start

This is the seventh out of nine stops on the tour, which has been dominated by Norway’s Johannes Thingnes Boe, winner of 11 out of 15 races this season. He has a 836-554 lead over seven-time defending champion Martin Fourcade of France, with Alexander Loginov (RUS) third with 548.

The women’s situation is more complex, with a fight between Italians Dorothea Wierer (632) and Lisa Vittozzi (598) at the top of the standings. Norway’s Marte Olsbu Roiseland is third at 508.

This will be the second IBU World Cup held in Canmore and appears to be a popular choice. According to the IBU Race Director, Borut Nunar (SLO): “The Canmore OC has done a great job; everything done on time, even early. The stadium and tracks are all ready to go.

“And, of course the athletes are eager. Who would not want to compete in this beautiful place? I think the athletes love coming here. It is a nice atmosphere without so much media and fan pressure; very refreshing for them.” It’s quite cold, but as Nunar noted, “This is a winter sport.”

Look for results here.

ATHLETICS Preview: Poland faces the world in IAAF World Indoor Tour in Torun

By
Rich Perelman
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Polish sprinter Ewa Swoboda (Photo: Zorro2212 vai Wikipedia)

The third stop in the IAAF World Indoor Tour comes Wednesday in Torun (POL) for the Orlen Copernicus Cup. In case you were wondering, “Orlen” is the meet sponsor – an oil and gas refiner – and not directly related to Nicolaus Copernicus, the 16th Century astronomer and mathematician who was born in Torun!

There are several highlighted events, especially with Polish stars engaged with the best in the world:

● Men’s 1,500 m: Poland’s Marcin Lewandowski, the 2018 World Indoor silver medalist, will be taking on the reigning World Indoor Champion, Ethiopia’s Samuel Tefera. Still 19, Tefera ran 3:31.63 outdoors last season and if in shape, will be hard to beat. Defending Torun champ Teresa Tolosa (ETH: 3:34.77 in 2017) and teammate Aman Wote (ETH: 3:29.91 ‘14) are the other likely challengers

● Men’s Pole Vault: A fabulous meeting of two great Polish vaulters and American star Sam Kendricks. The event has been hot indoors, and Poland’s Piotr Lisek – a two-time World Championships medal winner – has cleared 5.85 m (19-2 1/4) already and 2011 World Champion Pawel Wojciechowski made 5.80 m (19-0 1/4) in Lodz on Monday. Kendricks, the reigning World Champion, stands no. 2 in the world this year with his 5.86 m (19-2 3/4) make in the ISTAF indoor meet in Berlin (GER) last Friday.

● Men’s Long Jump: Cuba’s Juan Miguel Echavarria had a rough time with his approach in Karlsruhe (GER) and both he and Sweden’s Thobias Nilsson Montler jumped a modest 8.08 m (26-6 1/4), with the Swede winning on his back-up jump. Echevarria says he’ll do better this time.

● Women’s 60 m: Pole Ewa Swoboda won in Karlsruhe ahead of Dutch star Dafne Schippers, so now she gets to face Marie Josee Ta Lou (CIV), last year’s winner in Torun and the African Champion and Continental Cup champ. Ta Lou has run 7.05 indoors; Swoboda ran 7.08 in her heat last weekend, just 1/100th off her national record.

● Women’s 800 m: Poland’s Sofia Ennaoui was the European 1,500 m silver medalist last season and has run 2:00.11 (‘15), but she will have her hands full with Britain’s European 1,500 m Champion, Laura Muir (1:58.69 ‘17 in the 800), Habitam Alemu (ETH: 1:56.71 ‘18), Swiss Selina Buchel (1:57.95 ‘15) and Kenyan Nelly Jepkosgei (1:58.96 ‘18).

There are some other interesting individual entries, including Germans Pam Dutkiewicz in the 60 m Hurdles, and Christina Schwanitz in the shot put. Look for results here.

ALPINE SKIING: First race, first gold for Mikaela Shiffrin in Alpine Worlds

By
Rich Perelman
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American skiing superstar Mikaela Shiffrin

What will be a historic year for Mikaela Shiffrin became even more legendary as she skied to her first World Championships gold outside of the Slalom in Are, Sweden, winning the Super-G by 0.02 seconds on Tuesday.

And now?

“I’m going to take a minute tonight and talk with my coaches and see what we think we can do for the rest of these World Champs,” Shiffrin said.

It’s not unusual for a skier to win two golds in a Worlds, but three or more is tougher. The last woman to win three in a single Worlds was Sweden’s Anja Parson – in Are – in 2007, when she won the Downhill, Super-G and Combined.

Shiffrin was already the favorite in the Slalom and Giant Slalom, but with the Super-G win – not totally unexpected, but still remarkable – she could take a run at the Combined and even the Downhill, if the weather (and the schedule) hold up.

On Tuesday, Shiffrin and teammate Lindsey Vonn were nos. 15-16 out of the start gate, both chasing a sensational run by Italy’s Sofia Goggia, the no. 3 starter, at 1:04.91. But Shiffrin was on the gas the entire way and almost missed a gate, but managed to finish.

“I knew that everybody was pushing really hard, and the surface was amazing, so you could really go for it,” she said. “You had to have the balance between risk and also really nice turns. I was going really aggressive, and just the one spot towards the bottom where I had to fight to stay in the course, but otherwise it was all good and I was accelerating all the way.

“This is crazy. It was a really tight race: seven-hundredths to fourth place, I mean, come, on.”

Next up, Vonn crashed out after missing a gate, but was able to ski down to the bottom of the course and embrace Shiffrin. Vonn still has one more race, the Downhill, after which she says she will retire. She tweeted afterwards, “If adversity makes you stronger I think I’m the Hulk at this point….”

Behind Shiffrin and Goggia came Corinne Suter (1:04.94) and German Viktoria Rebensburg (1:04.96). American Alice Merryweather, in her first Worlds, was 22nd in 1:07.22.

This was Shiffrin’s fourth World Championships gold, after the Slalom in 2013-15-17.

The Worlds continue Wednesday with the men’s Super-G and then the women’s Combined on Thursday and the women’s Downhill on Friday. Look for results here.

FIS Alpine World Championships
Are (SWE) ~ 5-17 February 2019
(Full results here)

Women’s Super-G: 1. Mikaela Shiffrin (USA), 1:04.89; 2. Sofia Goggia (ITA), 1:04.91; 3. Corinne Suter (SUI), 1:04.94; 4. Viktor Rebensburg (GER), 1:04.96; 5. Nadia Fanchini (ITA), 1:05.03; 6. Ragnhild Mowinckel (NOR), 1:05.05; 7. Francesca Marsaglia (ITA), 1:05.13; 8. Ilka Stuhec (SLO), 1:05.15; 9. Lara Gut-Behrami (SUI), 1:05.37; 10. Federica Brignone (ITA), 1:05.43. Also in the top 25: 22. Alice Merryweather (USA), 1:07.22.

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